Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has dismissed the one-term pledges made by former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, describing them as unrealistic.
Speaking on Sunday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme in Abuja, El-Rufai, who served two terms as governor, argued that four years is too short to implement credible reforms, especially in a country facing challenges as complex as Nigeria’s.
His remarks were in reaction to promises by Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, and Amaechi, now seeking to contest under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who both vowed to serve only one term if elected in the 2027 presidential elections.
“Politicians who make such promises often change their minds once they assume power,” El-Rufai said.
The former governor also highlighted the importance of zoning arrangements in Nigerian politics, stressing that power rotation remains an effective tool for boosting a party’s electoral chances. He recalled supporting the APC’s decision to shift power to the South during the last election cycle as part of efforts to strengthen national unity.
As political alignments gather momentum ahead of 2027, El-Rufai’s remarks cast doubt on the credibility of one-term pledges and underscore the growing debate over tenure, zoning, and the strategies that will shape Nigeria’s next presidential race.
