Former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has cautioned presidential hopefuls Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi against promising to serve only one term if elected in the 2027 general election.
El-Rufai, who is now a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, gave the advice during an interview on Sunday Politics on Channels Television.
Reacting to pledges made by Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, and Amaechi, former minister of transportation, El-Rufai said such commitments lack credibility and are unrealistic.
“Now, on the question of people coming out and saying, ‘I will do one term’, I don’t think anyone believes that. 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.”
In August, Obi restated his vow to serve for only four years if elected president in 2027, insisting he did not need eight years to transform Nigeria. He cited Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela as examples of leaders who made lasting impact within a short time.
Similarly, Amaechi declared that he would serve only one term if given the ADC presidential ticket, arguing that Nigeria urgently needs quick reforms.
But El-Rufai, drawing from his own experience, argued that politicians often change their stance 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.
El-Rufai also used the interview to clarify his relationship with his successor, Governor Uba Sani, stressing that although he mentored him, they were never friends.
This comes amid reports of tension between the two following El-Rufai’s criticisms of federal government policies and certain actions of the Kaduna State administration.
