Nigerian lawyer sheds light on Soludo-Peter Obi verbal war on single term

A Nigerian lawyer and public affairs analyst, Darlington Agomuo, has shed more light on the war of words between Peter Obi and Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State.

Join the Premium Times WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.

Open in WhatsApp

The war of words

In June, Mr Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), pledged to serve for a single four-year tenure if elected the country’s president in 2027.

The Nigerian constitution allows elected presidents only two terms of four years each. President Bola Tinubu, from the southern part of the country, is in his first term and is expected to seek re-election in 2027.

Mr Obi’s pledge appears to be a strategic assurance to the north that the south would not stay in power for more than eight years.

Stay Ahead with Premium Times

Add as a preferred source on Google

But Mr Soludo, without mentioning names, appeared to have aimed a swipe at the 2023 LP candidate, saying politicians who make such promises are mentally unstable.

The governor spoke on Saturday during a political rally held in Ekwulobia within Anambra South District in support of his second-term ambition.

In his response, Mr Obi reaffirmed his vow to serve only a single four-year term if elected Nigeria’s president, adding that his critics were judging him by their standards, where political promises are made to be broken.

Lawyer sheds light

Mr Agomuo, while appearing as a guest on Voice of People TV on Monday morning, said Mr Soludo was not referring to Mr Obi.

The lawyer said Mr Soludo was referring to Nicholas Ukachukwu, the 2025 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State.

Like Mr Obi, Mr Ukachukwu promised to serve for only one term if elected governor in Anambra State in compliance with the state zoning arrangement.

The APC candidate hails from Orsumeyi in Nnewi South Local Government Area within Anambra South District of the state.

Mr Soludo hails from Isuofia in Aguata Local Government Area within the same Anambra South District of the state.

Mr Agomuo explained that Mr Soludo was trying to tell Mr Ukachukwu that contesting for governorship despite coming from Anambra South District as himself would alter the zoning arrangement in the state.

“I’ll advise Peter Obi to stop talking ahead of time. If you check (that clip) very well, Soludo was not referring to Obi.

“Go and listen to the context of that statement. (Nicholas) Ukachukwu said he would take one term in Anambra. Soludo was now telling him that if you take one term in Anambra it would alter the political permutation in Anambra,” he explained. “He (Soludo) didn’t mention Peter Obi.”

The lawyer said the comment was misunderstood to be aimed at Mr Obi because it came at the same time the LP candidate promised to serve for one term.

“Soludo was not referring to Peter Obi specifically. But now, Peter Obi has replied ahead of time without even considering whether it was for him or Ukachukwu.

“If it were for Obi, Soludo wouldn’t have said it (Ukachukwu’s contest) would alter the political permutation in Anambra State; that after him, Anambra Central District will take (the governorship slot),” he added.

The immediate past governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, who served for two terms, hails from Anambra North District.

PREMIUM TIMES transcribed below Mr Soludo’s opening and closing comments at the political rally to show he might not directly refer to Mr Obi.

“After now, anyone who is contesting for governorship from Anambra South (District) is causing a crisis. He’s trying to disrupt to zoning system in Anambra.

“Some of them (have) come to lie to us. How can anybody with a brain…You think you are talking to fools. You come to people and say, ‘I’ll do only one term.’

“Anybody, any politician who said that, must be sent to a psychiatric home.

“Some of them (governorship candidates) have no school certificate. Yet, they want to be the governor of Anambra.”