Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has dismissed the idea of politicians pledging to serve only a single term in office, declaring that anyone making such a commitment “needs a psychiatric examination.”
Soludo made the statement during the Anambra South endorsement rally organised in support of his second-term ambition.
He challenged proponents of the idea to name one instance where a single-term pledge had been honoured in Nigeria’s democratic history.
“Anyone offering to serve for one term in office as an elected public officer needs a psychiatric examination,” Soludo said bluntly.
He further emphasized that the Nigerian Constitution clearly provides for two terms in office, not one, and described the idea of voluntarily limiting oneself to a single term as unrealistic.
His remarks appear to indirectly counter a recent statement by Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who said he would be willing to serve only one term as president if required by a coalition agreement.
“If the agreement is one term, I will leave on May 28, 2031 — not even May 29,” Obi declared during an XSpace session titled #PeterObiOnParallelFacts, which was attended live by over 10,000 listeners. “I am not desperate to be president. I am desperate to see Nigeria work.”
Obi emphasized the need for political integrity and commitment to national progress over personal ambition, citing his own experience in respecting zoning arrangements during his tenure as Anambra governor—even when it came at a political cost.
“If the coalition is about sharing tickets and power for its sake, count me out. I’m not interested,” he said. “I want a coalition that stops the killings in Borno, puts food on people’s tables, and gets our industries working.”
Soludo’s comments add fuel to an ongoing national conversation about leadership, term limits, and the kind of political sacrifices leaders should be willing to make in the interest of national unity and development.
