Is Peter Obi’s One-Term Proposal a Sign of Desperation?

For a long time—starting as far back as 2022—Peter Obi’s calm and calculated approach to the presidency, especially his constant insistence that he wasn’t desperate for the job, stood out. That posture, for me, became one of his most admired qualities, helping to fuel his political rise and giving birth to the ‘Obidient Movement,’ which quickly grew into a formidable third force during the 2023 presidential race.

For me, there are various reasons why that approach—whether politically calculated or a genuine reflection of his personality that doesn’t see everything as a do-or-die affair—favored him and earned him a massive following, particularly among the youth demographic.

First, in that race, the other main contenders, Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were septuagenarians, and their chances of having another shot at the presidency were greatly diminished by their age and the four-year election cycle. Hence, many voters could easily argue that Atiku and Tinubu were desperate—and that the 2023 election could be their last shot at the seat.

But beyond the sense of desperation their age projected, the demeanor of the two bore all the hallmarks of desperation. Atiku was vying for the seat for the sixth time and had defied the so-called ‘unwritten rule’ of presidential rotation between the North and the South since the return of democracy in 1999 to snatch the party’s ticket from the grasp of Nyesom Wike. Against widespread expectations that Wike was the natural running mate, he settled for Ifeanyi Okowa from Delta State and was later accused of being the force behind preventing the party leadership from shifting to the South.

Those were nothing but attributes of a politically desperate individual who wanted every move he made to bring him closer to his long-held ambition of becoming president.

Tinubu was even more vocal in expressing his desperation when he declared ‘Emi l’okan’—which translates to “it is my turn.” The former governor of Lagos, who was also one of the founding fathers of the APC, went on to emphasize his role in electing Muhammadu Buhari and how he had never asked for anything in return—until now, when he asked for the highest seat, which he claimed to have rightfully earned.

Also Read: Why Teaming Up with Atiku Again Will End Peter Obi’s Political Credibility

But Peter Obi, over a decade younger than the other two, took a different approach—a more selfless approach. For months, while he was still in the PDP, he refused to declare his interest in the presidency. I recall several people, including myself, growing restless about his apparent indecision as we argued that time was of the essence.

Then he decamped to the Labour Party (LP), and in one of his very first interviews, he unequivocally said he was not desperate to be president.

“I’m not desperate to be president. I’m desperate to see Nigeria work, especially for the youths of this country,” he said, hours after joining the LP.

Labour Party was a relatively unknown party at the time, and his decision to contest under such a platform endeared him to Nigerians and further conveyed his “lack of desperation.”

Ever since then, he has consistently maintained that position—even after he lost the election, which many adjudged as contentious.

However, his recent proposal to rule for only one term if elected, to me, has all the markings of desperation.

Obi first floated this proposal during a highly attended XSpace on May 30.

“If the agreement is one term, I will leave on May 28, 2031—not even May 29,” he told over 10,000 live participants. Then he added his usual catchphrase that has resonated with people: “I am not desperate to be president. I am desperate to see Nigeria work.”

I am quick to ask: will Obi fix Nigeria—the insecurity, the malnourished economy—in just four years?

In the North Central, we’ve witnessed an accelerated wave of herdsmen attacks on farmers. Other parts of the North are still grappling with heightened insecurity. Obi’s Southeast is still struggling with the crises caused by IPOB and the ESN.

On the economy, Nigerians have not fared any better. Inflation remains in double digits at 22.97 percent, and the interest rate at the same level has made it difficult for businesses to access loans for growth.

Politically and ethnically, Nigeria seems more polarized than ever.

To think that he requires just four years to wave a magic wand and fix all these issues seems, to me, wishful thinking.

What endeared Obi to many, aside from his track record as Anambra Governor, is that he does not conform to the stereotype of the regular Nigerian politician. Hence, seeing him now try to play by the book—trying so hard to earn the nod of Northern political elites and so-called kingmakers—seems uncharacteristic of his brand and personality.

According to Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Peter Obi has already submitted his one-term proposal to the coalition for consideration.

While I understand some of the impossible positions Peter Obi finds himself in, his recent admission that Nigeria operates a rotational presidency does little to quell the other side of the argument—about meritocracy, which is what Nigerians want. A merit-based president who can steer Nigeria away from the sinking ship it currently is.