The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has strongly criticised the one-term pledge made by the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, while also delivering a harsh assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration after about three years in office.
The Forum, a socio-cultural and political group representing Northern interests, said Obi’s commitment to serve only one term is unnecessary, unconstitutional, and potentially harmful to Nigeria’s democratic system.
According to the ACF National Secretary, Tukur Baba, such a pledge is not backed by the constitution and should not form part of political bargaining.
He argued that decisions around tenure or power rotation should be left to political parties rather than being turned into national political expectations.
Baba warned that normalising such promises could deepen divisions in the country, stressing that Nigeria’s diversity makes rigid power-sharing arrangements risky.
He also questioned the logic behind limiting leadership based on prior promises, saying it could deny citizens the opportunity to retain a performing leader beyond a single term.
He added that governance should be judged by performance, not campaign promises, insisting that what Nigerians need is effective leadership in areas such as security, education, healthcare and anti-corruption efforts.
On Obi’s vow to hand over power after one term “even with a gun to my head,” Baba described the statement as unnecessary and politically unhelpful, adding that leaders should be focused on delivering results rather than making restrictive pledges.
The ACF spokesperson, however, clarified that the group does not endorse or oppose any political candidate, maintaining that its role is to analyse national issues while leaving electoral decisions to voters.
He said the North’s primary concern remains good governance, security, and economic stability, rather than support for any specific party or candidate.
In a broader critique, the Forum also described the Tinubu administration as underperforming, particularly in the areas of security and economic management.
Baba expressed concern over rising insecurity, including banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, which he said have continued to worsen across the country.
He also criticised the government’s economic policies, citing inflation, taxation, and rising living costs as major burdens on citizens.
According to him, despite government claims of progress, many Nigerians have yet to feel positive impacts, and the middle class has been significantly weakened.
He concluded that the overall performance of the administration has been poor, arguing that its policies have had more negative than positive effects on citizens.
