Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for Nigeria to adopt a single, non-renewable five-year term for the presidency, similar to the system in South Korea.
Speaking during a visit to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed at the Government House on Friday, Obi argued that the move would compel presidents to focus entirely on governance rather than re-election campaigns.
“If I have the opportunity, we should stop having a second tenure for presidents. It should be five years. That’s what is in South Korea, so people come in knowing they have a job to do,” he said.
The former Anambra governor criticised the current system, saying most leaders spend their first year in office governing and the remaining years strategising for re-election. “Let’s stop it, let’s face the real job,” he urged.
Obi, who previously pledged to serve only a single four-year term if elected, reiterated the commitment in an August 3 post on X, describing it as “sacrosanct.” He first made the promise in June during an X Space session tagged #PeterObiOnParallelFacts, which drew thousands of listeners.
The proposal has sparked mixed reactions, with some questioning his sincerity.
