Farotimi Questions Obi’s One-Term Presidency Proposal

2 weeks ago 9

Human rights lawyer says Obi’s plan needs deeper scrutiny
Warns that ambition without vision is insufficient
Cites past leaders who wasted eight years in office

Human rights activist and lawyer, Mr Dele Farotimi, has reacted to the one-term presidency proposal by the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi.

Farotimi noted that this was not the first time Obi had floated the idea, recalling that he made the same declaration during the last election cycle.

He stressed that Obi’s motive must be critically interrogated rather than taken at face value.

“A man says he’s going to spend one term. One term to do what? I think we should ask that question,” Farotimi said in an interview published by Channels Television on Sunday night.

He explained that ambition without long-term vision was hollow, insisting that leadership requires plans that outlive personal tenure.

“If I have a vision that can be contained within my lifetime, then it’s not a vision, it’s just an ambition. If it’s a vision, I will need my children’s children to complete that task. So, if a man says, ‘I’m going to run for one term.’ I am more interested in asking questions about his plans. What would you do with the one term?” he added.

According to him, a leader with clearly defined policies can achieve significant results within a short period. He criticised past leaders for wasting multiple terms without meaningful achievements.

“Obasanjo had eight years; what did he do with them? Buhari had eight years; what did he do with it? He ruined Nigeria. Tinubu has had two years, he’s taking us back like 50 years. So, it’s not really about how much time the person spends; it’s a function of what they are doing with the time that they have,” Farotimi said.

Peter Obi had recently reiterated that he would serve for only one term of four years as president if elected, adding that he would return power to the north in line with the long-standing zoning arrangement between the regions.