Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has faulted the one-term presidency pledge made by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, insisting that four years is not enough time to fix Nigeria or make any meaningful impact in governance.
El-Rufai, who is now a key member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), stated this while featuring on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics. He explained that promises of a single-term presidency are unrealistic, stressing that Nigerians do not take such commitments seriously.
“On the question of people saying they will come out and do one term, I don’t think that anyone believes them and I don’t think that it’s right,” El-Rufai said.
The former governor noted that the Nigerian Constitution already provides a two-term limit for presidents, and any candidate who voluntarily pledges to run for only one term is making an unnecessary promise that could also limit their effectiveness in office.
According to him, both Peter Obi and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who at different times made similar commitments, should know from their experiences as governors that governance requires time and continuity.
“As someone who has been governor for eight years, Amaechi and Peter Obi have both been governors. They know the time it takes to make meaningful changes in governance, and four years is not enough,” he added.
El-Rufai further advised political leaders and presidential hopefuls to avoid making pledges that Nigerians neither believe nor find practical. He maintained that true reform and development in a country as complex as Nigeria require patience, long-term planning, and sustained execution of policies.
“I want to appeal to everyone to stop making this commitment of I will do four years because nobody believes you,” he stressed.
His comments come amid ongoing political debates over Peter Obi’s renewed popularity and his recent declaration that he would serve only one term if elected president. While Obi’s pledge was seen by some as a sign of selflessness and commitment to urgent reforms, El-Rufai has now joined those who argue that the timeframe is too short to bring about genuine transformation in Nigeria.
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