Human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, has thrown his weight behind presidential hopeful Peter Obi’s proposal for a single-term presidency, arguing that Nigeria’s past leaders have wasted longer periods in office without meaningful progress.
“(Olusegun) Obasanjo had eight years; what did he do with it? (Muhammadu) Buhari had eight years; what did he do with it? He ruined Nigeria. (President Bola) Tinubu has had two years, and he is taking us back 50 years.
“So it’s not really about how much time the person spends; it’s a function of what they do with the time that they have,” Farotimi said on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s breakfast programme Sunrise Daily.
Obasanjo was Nigeria’s president from May 1999 to May 2007 while the late Buhari was in office between May 2015 and May 2023 when he handed over to former Lagos governor Tinubu.
Farotimi, known for his outspoken advocacy for justice and systemic reforms, stressed that long-term impact does not require a long stay in office.
“I first heard this one-term presidency idea from Peter Obi during the election cycle. It’s not about how long he says he wishes to serve; I’m more interested in what he intends to do with that time.
“If I ever run for the presidency of Nigeria, I wouldn’t require more than two years to do everything I need to do. You don’t need a long term to achieve lasting change, but the question should be: what does he intend to do with the one term?” the lawyer said.
Obi had overtime reiterated his vow to serve only a single four-year term if elected president, a pledge he first made during a widely attended X Space session in June.
The declaration has sparked mixed reactions, with some questioning his sincerity.
More recently, Obi suggested that Nigeria adopt a single five-year presidential term, similar to the model in South Korea, where re-election is not permitted.
“If I have the opportunity, we should stop having a second tenure for presidents. It should be five years. That is what is in South Korea, so people come in and know that they have a job to do,” Obi had said.
Obasanjo, Buhari’s 16 years ‘ruined’ Nigeria – Farotimi backs Obi’s one-term plan
