Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has confirmed he will contest the 2027 presidential election, saying he will serve only one term if elected.
He made this known during a Twitter Space hosted by Parallel Facts on Sunday.
His words: “If you take the arrangement which is, understandably, what you can call an unwritten agreement that power would go south and north, and if that arrangement is to be followed strictly, you would see that anybody, not just me, who happens to come from the south as president in 2027 must be ready to leave on the 28th of May (not 29th), 2031.
“I campaigned for zoning. I championed zoning in Anambra State. That is one of the reasons today some people feel we must deal with this man. I insisted on it, I maintained it and I followed it to the last letter, and till today, I still follow it religiously.”
Obi also vowed to uphold democratic principles by fostering a strong opposition and ending cross-party defections.
“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 said.
“Imagine in this country, people are dying in Benue, Borno, [and other parts of the country], and our leaders are commissioning bus stops and holidaying.
Obi also distanced himself from any coalition formed solely for political power-sharing, stating that his interest lies in partnerships that deliver real change.
“If the coalition is about sharing tickets and power for its sake, count me out. I’m not interested. I want a coalition that stops the killings in Borno, puts food on people’s tables, and gets our industries working,” he said.
Commenting on President Bola Tinubu’s reported trip to St. Lucia, Obi criticised the President’s domestic absence, saying, “St Lucia is about the size of the 10th largest city of Nigeria, Ilorin. President Tinubu has never slept a night in any state of Nigeria outside Lagos since the assumption of office in 2023. PBAT to stay in St Lucia for 10 days
