Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s power rotation agreement, declaring that if elected president in 2027, he will serve only one term, exiting office on May 28, 2031.
Speaking during a Twitter Space hosted by Parallel Facts on Sunday, Obi said his stance is in line with the zoning arrangement — an informal but widely acknowledged political understanding that power should rotate between Nigeria’s North and South.
“If you take the arrangement, which is, understandably, an unwritten agreement that power should go South and North, then anyone from the South, including myself, who becomes president in 2027 must be ready to leave by May 28, 2031,” Obi said.
He pointed to his record in Anambra State, where he championed zoning during his tenure as governor. “That is one of the reasons some people feel they must deal with me,” he said. “I insisted on zoning, maintained it, and followed it to the last letter — and I still do.”
Beyond zoning, Obi outlined a vision for restoring democratic integrity. He promised to entrench vibrant opposition politics and halt the defection culture that allows elected officials to switch parties at will. “My presidency will ensure there is a strong opposition in party politics. There will be no defection of elected officials to other parties when I am in charge,” he declared.
He criticised the current political culture where governance appears disconnected from the suffering of ordinary Nigerians. “Imagine in this country, people are dying in Benue and Borno, and our leaders are busy commissioning bus stops and going on holidays,” Obi said.
The former governor also dismissed political alliances driven solely by power-sharing ambitions. “If the coalition is about sharing tickets and power for its sake, count me out,” he said. “I want a coalition that stops the killings, puts food on people’s tables, and gets our industries working.”
As political realignments continue ahead of 2027, Obi’s clear stance signals not just his intent to contest again, but also his effort to reframe Nigeria’s electoral conversation — around principles, responsibility, and results rather than personality or patronage.
