Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has pledged to honour any coalition agreement that requires him to serve only a single term as President, promising to hand over power to the North by 2031 if such a pact is reached.
Speaking during a widely followed XSpace interactive session titled #PeterObiOnParallelFacts, Obi declared, “If the agreement is one term, I will leave on May 28, 2031 — not even May 29. I am not desperate to be president. I am desperate to see Nigeria work.”
The session drew over 10,000 live listeners and generated nearly 3,000 audience comments, as Obi addressed a wide range of national issues including coalition dynamics, insecurity, and President Bola Tinubu’s recent foreign trips.
Emphasising his stance on character and integrity over ambition, Obi recounted how he upheld zoning principles during his tenure as governor of Anambra State, even at personal political cost.
On speculations of a possible joint ticket with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 general elections, Obi dismissed any ongoing negotiations, asserting that the coalition should prioritize solutions to the country’s challenges.
“If the coalition is about sharing tickets and power for its sake, count me out. I want a coalition that stops the killings in Borno, puts food on people’s tables, and gets our industries working,” he said.
Responding to concerns that some of his supporters may be opposed to political mergers, Obi clarified that the core issue lies in purpose, not rejection. “It’s not about rejection. We’ve never even discussed tickets. It’s about Nigeria first,” he noted.
Turning to President Tinubu’s recent visit to St. Lucia, Obi criticised the trip as “out of touch” and “a misplacement of priorities.” Drawing a contrast, he said, “You can’t build strong international relations when your domestic house is on fire. St. Lucia, with 180,000 people, is smaller than Ajegunle.”
Obi decried the state of insecurity and economic hardship in Nigeria, lamenting the loss of lives in Niger, Benue, and Zamfara states. “We’re losing lives… and we’re gallivanting. Leaders must stay and lead from the front,” he concluded.
