Labour Party chieftain and spokesperson for the Obi-Datti campaign, Kenneth Okonkwo, has shed light on the rationale behind Peter Obi’s one-term presidency promise during the 2023 elections. Speaking on Channels Television, Okonkwo described the pledge as a calculated political strategy aimed at easing tensions and gaining the trust of Northern voters.
According to Okonkwo, the one-term promise was never about weakness or uncertainty in Obi’s leadership ambitions. Rather, it was a deliberate move to balance the regional dynamics in Nigeria’s complex political landscape. “It was to assure the North that power would not remain in the South indefinitely,” he explained.
He emphasized that such a strategy was necessary due to longstanding suspicions and distrust between Nigeria’s regions. With many Northern political blocs wary of Southern dominance, Obi’s one-term vow served as a reassurance that the South-East was willing to play fair.
Okonkwo also addressed criticisms that the promise was a sign of desperation or political gimmickry. “It wasn’t a gimmick — it was a bridge-building tactic,” he insisted. “You can’t win an election without bringing people together across religious and ethnic lines.”
Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, made headlines in 2023 when he publicly declared he would serve only one term if elected. While some praised it as a humble and selfless offer, others viewed it as political naivety. Okonkwo’s revelation now puts that move into a different light.
The actor-turned-politician argued that Nigeria’s electoral politics is not purely about merit but also about perception and regional balancing. “Sometimes, doing the right thing means making sacrifices to earn trust. That was what Obi did,” he said.
Okonkwo went further to highlight that if Obi had won and served just one term, it would have set a powerful precedent and created an opportunity for inclusive leadership moving forward. “It would have been a bold example of rotating power truly in the interest of national unity,” he added.
He also debunked the notion that Obi was backing away from a second-term ambition out of fear. “Make no mistake — if he had won and Nigerians demanded a second term due to performance, the people would have had the final say,” Okonkwo clarified.
The interview has since sparked renewed debate online, with political observers dissecting Obi’s campaign strategies and what they reveal about Nigeria’s fractured electoral system. Whether viewed as brilliance or blunder, the one-term pledge remains one of the boldest moves of the 2023 election cycle.
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