Some prominent Igbo leaders have endorsed Peter Obi‘s pledge to serve only one term if elected president in 2027, describing the commitment as a patriotic decision aimed at promoting national unity and respecting Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement.

The endorsement comes amid debate over Obi’s declaration that he would serve a single four-year term if elected on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), under an alleged power-sharing understanding with his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Former National Vice President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ichie Damian Okeke-Ogene, said Obi did not need to seek the approval of Igbo leaders before making the commitment because he was contesting as a Nigerian, not as an ethnic candidate.

“Peter Obi is not an Igbo candidate. He is contesting to be President of Nigeria as a Nigerian. He does not need to consult Igbo leaders before deciding how he intends to serve the country,” he said.

Former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to ex-Ohanaeze President-General, Chief Nnia Nwodo, Chief Emeka Attamah, also defended Obi’s decision, saying the former Anambra governor would have consulted those genuinely committed to his presidential ambition.

Attamah argued that Obi’s aspiration aligns with the long-standing quest for an Igbo presidency and could demonstrate the capacity of the South-East to lead the country.

Okeke-Ogene further maintained that leadership capacity, rather than tenure length, determines success in office.

According to him, a competent president does not necessarily require two terms to deliver meaningful reforms, adding that Obi’s one-term pledge reflects his commitment to Nigeria’s zoning principle.

However, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chukwu Ezechi, distanced the organisation from the pledge, describing it as a personal political decision.

He said Ohanaeze was neither a political party nor involved in Obi’s presidential campaign and therefore had no role in determining the tenure he should seek.

Ezechi added that the apex Igbo body had not convened any meeting to adopt an official position on the 2027 presidential election, stressing that such a decision would require consultations through its internal structures, including the Ime Obi and the general assembly.

Meanwhile, reactions among political leaders in the South-East remained mixed.

Founding National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Chekwas Okorie, said Obi’s commitment was a personal and party decision rather than a mandate from the South-East.

He suggested the pledge was intended to reassure northern stakeholders by preserving Nigeria’s informal power rotation arrangement.

Former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, also backed the proposal, saying four years would be sufficient for a focused administration to lay a solid foundation for national development.

In contrast, political analyst Ogbonnia Azuka criticised the commitment, arguing that the South-East could be disadvantaged if an Igbo president voluntarily limits himself to a single term without broader regional consultation.

Similarly, the Abia State chapter of Ohanaeze and several other stakeholders maintained that Obi’s decision was entirely personal and should not be interpreted as the collective position of the Igbo nation.

The Abia State chairman of the NDC, Rowland Osundu, however, said the reported agreement aligns with the South-East’s aspiration to produce Nigeria’s president, adding that while opinions may differ, a majority of the region’s people remain supportive of Obi’s presidential bid.