A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dan Ulasi, has thrown his weight behind Peter Obi’s declaration to serve a single four-year term if elected president, describing it as both constitutional and commendable.
Ulasi made the remarks during an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, where he criticised the mindset of politicians who assume that leadership must span eight years to be impactful.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives you a four-year term. It presumes that in four years, you should be able to make an impactful impression on your society,” he said.
According to him, the idea of seeking a second term should depend on performance and not entitlement.
“It’s only when you do very well and you desire a second term that you ask for it — which the people may or may not give you,” he said.
He said some states already practise single-term zoning agreements, where after four years, power rotates regardless of ongoing projects. “It doesn’t mean you must finish what you started. If you have a project that is good, somebody else will finish it,” he said.
Using Enugu as an example, Ulasi praised the state’s current governor for completing long-abandoned projects saying, “Coming into Enugu now is like entering London. Beautiful.”
Turning to Peter Obi, the former Anambra governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Ulasi described him as a “very honest person” who can be trusted to keep his word.
“Peter is saying he will do four years. I think it’s sacrosanct. He’s a good Christian, he doesn’t talk from both sides of his mouth,” Ulasi stated.
He challenged the programme hosts to invite Obi to speak on air, expressing confidence that his sincerity would be evident. “If you listen to him, you will believe he can do everything he plans to do. Maybe not 100 percent in four years.”
Ulasi also condemned what he called the erosion of civility in Nigeria’s democracy, saying too many politicians are driven by greed rather than service.
“Most people in politics exhibit a reflective instinct towards self-preservation. You see people who take oaths of unsurpassed devotion to duty, when indeed what they mean is unsurpassed devotion to stealing money,” he said.
According to him, that mindset is part of why Nigeria remains stagnant. He said anyone seeking office should have already mapped out their vision and strategy before assuming power.
“The only vision many politicians have is how to steal money. That’s the problem,” Ulasi noted.
His remarks come amid growing debate over Peter Obi’s recent promise to serve for only four years if elected in 2027 — a position that has sparked conversations about the structure, expectations, and ambitions of political officeholders in Nigeria.
