Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has criticised the pledge made by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to serve only one term if elected president.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, El-Rufai argued that a four-year tenure is insufficient to bring about significant changes in Nigeria.
He advised political leaders to refrain from making such commitments, which he believes lack credibility and practical value.
“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.
A prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress, El-Rufai referenced Obi and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi—both former governors—to emphasise the lengthy process of implementing meaningful governance reforms.
“You should not constitutionally give up what is yours and frankly, as someone who has been governor for eight years, Amaechi and Peter Obi have both been governors,” he stated.
“They know the time it takes to make meaningful changes in governance, four years is not enough.”
El-Rufai concluded by urging politicians to avoid making promises that the public finds hard to believe:
“I want to appeal to everyone to stop making this commitment of I will do four years because nobody believes you.”
