“Peter Obi Is Not a Saint – Northerners Won’t Believe His One-Term Promise,” Says IPAC Chairman Yabagi Sani

Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), Yabagi Sani, has expressed skepticism over Peter Obi’s recent pledge to serve only one term if elected president in 2027. Speaking during an interview on Channels TV on Tuesday, July 1, Sani said it would be difficult, especially for northerners, to believe that the former Labour Party presidential candidate would stick to a four-year tenure.

Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State, had made the commitment during an X Space discussion with his supporters on Sunday, June 29. But Sani countered that such promises rarely hold once politicians assume power, citing historical instances where elected leaders attempted to manipulate constitutional limits to extend their time in office.

“Peter Obi is not a saint; he is not somebody who is from another planet,” Sani remarked. “We have seen successive governments try to turn the constitution around to give themselves a third term. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

He added that while Obi may sincerely intend to govern for a single term, power dynamics often shift after elections. Sani pointed out that many in the north believe that following President Bola Tinubu’s tenure, the presidency should return to the region, making Obi’s one-term assurance even more difficult to accept. “How would he even succeed, when you consider the sentimental aspect, state capture, and power of incumbency?” Sani asked.

Despite Obi’s rising popularity among certain segments of the population, Sani emphasized that all 2027 hopefuls are fallible and must be judged accordingly.