The National Leadership and Campaign Council of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially endorsed the single-term presidential pledge made by its flagbearer, Peter Obi, framing the commitment as a selfless performance bond and a necessary sacrifice for national stability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party’s position was made public on Friday morning, October 30, 2026, at 10:00 AM, during a high-level press briefing held at the NDC National Headquarters, situated at Plot 412 in the Central Business District of Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the party leadership, the Director-General of the NDC Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Yunusa Abdulkarim, dismissed criticisms from political rivals, specifically responding to remarks made by former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, who had described the single-term offer as a “four-year gamble.”
Addressing journalists and assembled party stakeholders, Dr. Abdulkarim cited Section 135(2) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, clarifying that while an incumbent president is constitutionally permitted to seek a second term, doing so remains permissive rather than mandatory.
”Section 135(2) of the 1999 Constitution provides that a President shall leave office after four years and may seek a further four years,” Abdulkarim stated. “In law, ‘may’ is permissive, not mandatory. A single term is therefore completely constitutional, it is not a gamble.”
He further argued that Nigeria’s developmental struggles do not stem from brief tenures, but from a persistent lack of performance during extended terms. Pointing to recent political history, he noted that the nation already tested an eight-year tenure between 2015 and 2023, which yielded rising inflation, a weakened naira, soaring public debt, widespread poverty, and persistent insecurity across the country.
He described this record as the true balance sheet of prolonged tenure without performance, emphasizing that leadership must ultimately be measured by tangible impact rather than duration.
The NDC leadership emphasized that Obi’s decision to serve only four years is designed to promote national unity and maintain regional geopolitical equity.
Under the party’s proposed framework, Obi will serve a focused four-year term dedicated strictly to economic restoration and security stabilization, before handing over power in 2031 in recognition of the North’s rotational turn.
Chief Kenneth Okonkwo, the National Publicity Affairs Director for the NDC, confirmed that the broader party structure stands fully united behind Obi’s decision, noting that a time-bound administration creates an essential sense of urgency and direct public accountability.
He stressed that when a leader entitled to eight years voluntarily chooses four and invites the nation to judge him strictly by results, he is not gambling but sacrificing, concluding that the initiative represents a rescue mission with a strict deadline.
