The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has rejected the one-term presidency pledge made by the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, describing the promise as unnecessary, undemocratic and contrary to constitutional principles.
The northern socio-political organisation also expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, rating its three years in office as “shambolic.”
Obi recently pledged to serve only one four-year term if elected president in 2027, insisting that four years is sufficient for a committed leader to transform the country. During a televised interview, the former Anambra State governor stated that he would return power to the North after completing his tenure, “even with a gun to my head.”
Reacting to the development, ACF National Secretary, Tukur Baba, said the commitment was unnecessary and could undermine democratic principles.
According to him, “such a promise is totally unnecessary, even as a campaign material, it is still very unnecessary.”
Baba argued that the rotation of political power between regions is not a constitutional requirement but rather an internal arrangement that political parties may choose to adopt.
“Firstly, such a power shift is not a constitutional provision. It is a matter for political parties to decide. Another leading presidential candidate had mentioned that and that is not correct,” he said.
He further maintained that institutionalising regional power rotation could deepen divisions within the country.
“Secondly, it is very undemocratic, we cannot be practicing democracy and are putting all kinds of road blocks. That is not democracy.
“Thirdly, when you are rotating power from one geo-political zone to another, tomorrow, it may become a religious affair, they will come out and say it is time for so so religion.
“We have at least four hundred ethnic groups in this country and three major religious groups. The more we stick to the power shift, the more we embrace division among us.”
Questioning the rationale behind Obi’s pledge, Baba said it would be unfair to deny Nigerians the opportunity to re-elect a leader who performs well in office simply because of a campaign commitment.
“Why will Peter Obi make such a promise? Supposing he becomes the president of Nigeria and performs excellently well in his first tenure, would it be fair for Nigerians, North or South, men or women to say Obi will not go again because he made promises even though he is good?
“By him promising one term means he is likely not going to do his best. He is being unfair to the electorates. All we need in this country is just good governance.”
The ACF secretary stressed that citizens are more concerned about governance outcomes than regional power arrangements, citing accountability, security, education, healthcare and anti-corruption efforts as key priorities.
“We want accountability, fair representation and good welfare of the citizens. Welfare includes security, school, health and anti-corruption drives.
“If Peter Obi comes to power and after two years we begin to see results, it will be unfair for him to say he only wants four years.
“Imagine if in two years Obi is able to tame banditry, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups across the country, then he said he wants to leave after four years, that will be unfair to those who elected him.”
Baba went further to describe the pledge as irresponsible.
“If I’m to sit down with Peter Obi, I will tell him, ‘you promised one term and then return power to another region, that is being irresponsible’.
“Until we abolish tribalism and region-based politics, we may not go far as a country. We are marching backwards in reverse order.”
The ACF official, however, clarified that the organisation has no preferred presidential candidate and does not publicly endorse political parties.
“We have no tradition of coming out to support or oppose any candidate or political parties in the country openly.
“Rather, our job is to analyze and at the end of the day, allow the electorates to decide. Unlike other organizations in the country, we have over three hundred tribes in the North so we cannot afford to say that the North has one preferred candidate or party.
“However, the North has just one interest and the interest is different from the interest of any other citizens of the country and that is good governance, security and good economy.”
Assessing the performance of the Tinubu administration, Baba expressed disappointment over the state of security and the economy, arguing that insecurity has persisted despite efforts to reorganise the nation’s security architecture.
“If President Tinubu is doing well, the impact would have been felt but the issue has continued to expand until the Americans came recently.
“Bello Turji is still in the North East, bragging on social media. Tinubu reshuffled security architecture yet no results.
“Has he ever ordered any of the security chiefs ‘bring me the head of so so bandit or terrorist dead or alive?’”
He also criticised the administration’s economic policies, taxation measures and infrastructure projects, questioning the progress made on several major initiatives.
“Tinubu has isolated the Aso Villa from the national grid but you and I are paying for power that we did not see.
“Prices of things are going up yet we have taxes everywhere. They keep bragging of low taxes for lower income earners but even razor blade that you buy, there is VAT in it.
“The Lagos-Calabar highway, we don’t know what is happening there, the so-called Lagos-Sokoto road, how much of it has been done? Where is the progress? Tinubu and his group, who asked for democracy are the ones sabotaging the principles of democracy today.”
Baba further lamented the condition of the economy, the erosion of the middle class and the country’s rising debt burden.
“The middle class has been totally wiped out. I am terribly disappointed in President Tinubu. This regime has taken more loans than all the previous governments put together and you and I are going to pay for it.
“So, generally, I will say the performance has been shambolic.
“Has their policies impacted citizens, oh, yes, but negatively.”
The comments come as political parties and leading contenders continue consultations and strategic positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections, with debates over power rotation, governance performance and economic management increasingly shaping the national political discourse.
