El-Rufai to Obi, Amaechi: Stop making one-term commitments — nobody believes you

Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, says Rotimi Amaechi and Peter Obi should stop making one-term promises because no one believes them. 

The ex-minister spoke during an appearance on ‘Sunday Politics’, a Channels Television programme.

Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has maintained that he will serve only one term if elected president in 2027, insisting four years is enough to reset the country.

Obi had also said history has shown that purposeful leadership is not defined by how long one stays in office but by the impact made.

On his part, Amaechi, former minister of transportation, said he is willing to be a one-term president in 2027 if he secures the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The former governor of Rivers also said he is prepared to step down after four years in office to allow for rotation and stability.

Asked for his take on the promises, el-Rufai said Obi and Amaechi should know from experience that four years is insufficient to deliver meaningful reforms.

“Now, on the question of people coming out and saying, ‘I will do one term’, I don’t think anyone believes that,” el-Rufai said.

“I don’t think it is right. You should not constitutionally give up what is yours. And frankly, as someone who has been governor for eight years, and Amaechi and Peter Obi have both been governors, they know the time it takes to make meaningful change in government. Four years is not enough.”

He said politicians who pledge to serve only one term eventually change their minds once in office.

“So, I want to appeal to everyone to stop making these commitments of ‘I will do four years’ or ‘I will do eight years’, because nobody believes you,” he added.

Speaking further, el-Rufai said his support for power shift to the south in 2023 was based on an understanding among leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) during the party’s formation.

He said he mobilised northern governors to support the decision without considering what the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was planning.

According to him, zoning is a political strategy each party deploys to enhance its chances of winning elections.

“The ADC is still forming,” el-Rufai added.

“When the party is fully formed, the leadership and founders will sit and decide on zoning. I am not privy to that discussion yet.”