Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has criticised Labour Party’s Peter Obi over his recent one-term presidency pledge ahead of the 2027 general election.
Obi, who was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, had on Sunday reaffirmed his vow to serve for only four years if elected in 2027. He cited global leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela, arguing that a full eight-year tenure isn’t necessary to transform Nigeria.
However, speaking in an interview on Monday, Falana dismissed the pledge as insufficient, stressing that what matters more is the candidate’s vision and governance plan.
“It is not just enough to say, ‘I’ll be in power for four years or eight years.’ The real question is, what do you intend to do with that time?” Falana said.
The senior lawyer further called on the Federal Government to prioritise governance and ensure citizens are carried along in the policymaking process.
“As for those currently in power, you have a greater responsibility to focus on governance and consult with the people on your policies,” Falana said. “Nobody should just wake up one day and decide to rename streets without public input.”
