NDC vice-presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso says Peter Obi remains committed to a written one-term agreement reached ahead of the 2027 presidential election, expressing confidence that the former Anambra governor will honour the pact if elected.
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has revealed that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, signed a written agreement committing to serve only one four-year term if elected Nigeria’s president in the 2027 general election.
Kwankwaso said he has no reason to doubt Obi’s integrity, insisting that the former Anambra State governor would keep his promise and hand over power after a single tenure in line with the political understanding reached by both leaders.
‘We signed a written agreement’ — Kwankwaso
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Kwankwaso disclosed that the one-term arrangement was not merely a verbal promise but a documented agreement signed by both politicians before accepting the NDC presidential ticket.
According to him, the agreement provides that Obi would serve only one term of four years, after which power would return to Northern Nigeria in line with the political understanding that formed the basis of their alliance.
Kwankwaso said he believes Obi is a man who keeps his word and therefore has no concerns about the implementation of the agreement if the opposition wins the 2027 presidential election.
Obi had previously pledged a single tenure
Obi has, on several occasions in recent months, publicly stated that he does not require more than four years to implement key reforms aimed at stabilising Nigeria’s economy, improving governance and tackling insecurity.
The former governor has argued that a focused administration can lay a solid foundation for national development within a single tenure if the right policies are pursued from day one.
Political significance of the agreement
The one-term arrangement has become one of the defining features of the NDC alliance ahead of the 2027 election.
Political observers say the agreement was designed to address concerns over power rotation and strengthen trust between the North and South within the coalition.
Supporters argue that the arrangement could broaden the opposition’s appeal across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, while critics have questioned whether any president can legally or politically bind themselves to a single term beyond a public commitment.
Presidency has criticised the pledge
The presidency has previously questioned Obi’s one-term promise.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga had argued that Nigerians should be cautious about relying on such political commitments, suggesting that past political developments should inform public judgment. Those remarks represent the Presidency’s position and not an established fact regarding Obi’s future actions.
Neither Obi nor the NDC has announced any change to the reported one-term arrangement.
Kwankwaso’s latest comments reaffirm the coalition’s earlier position that the agreement remains in force as preparations continue for the 2027 presidential election.
The NDC emerged earlier this year after a coalition of opposition politicians agreed to contest the 2027 presidential election on a common platform.
Peter Obi was subsequently nominated as the party’s presidential candidate, while former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso emerged as his running mate.
Since then, the party has maintained that its campaign will focus on economic reforms, governance, national unity and institutional rebuilding ahead of the next general election.