By Charles Pemu 
As Nigeria’s political scene begins to stir ahead of the 2027 presidential election, the former Governor of Jigawa State and PDP stalwart, Sule Lamido, has indicated a willingness to back Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023, should he emerge as the consensus candidate of a broad anti-APC coalition.
Lamido, while reaffirming his loyalty to the PDP, noted that leadership must transcend zoning or ethnicity. “If the coalition produces Peter Obi or anyone committed to rescuing Nigeria, I’ll support them. Leadership is about competence, not geography,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), through its President, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, acknowledged the North’s dwindling options and hinted that Obi’s offer to serve only one term could appeal to their bloc. “Peter Obi has a track record of keeping promises. If he commits to a single term, it might be our safest bet,” Pogu stated, also naming Goodluck Jonathan as a possible fallback due to his constitutional limit of one term.
However, Obi’s offer hasn’t convinced all. Former Minister of Information, Ibrahim Nakande, dismissed the one-term promise as “purely political,” questioning whether his region would allow such a short tenure.
Veteran politician Tanko Yakasai suggested that President Bola Tinubu if re-elected would be the more predictable option to transition power to the North in 2031, stressing that the constitution would naturally limit him to one more term.
Conversely, the Arewa Defence League (ADL) and its president, Alhaji Murtala Abubakar, decried the one-term proposal as “undemocratic,” warning against using zoning as a bargaining chip. “Nigeria needs merit, not rotational gimmicks,” he said.
Similarly, Alhaji Muhammad Danlami, Speaker of the Arewa Youth Assembly, said the North would not fall for a repeat of 2011, when Jonathan reneged on a one-term promise. “We won’t be deceived again,” he declared, accusing Obi of running a divisive, ethnic-centric campaign.
Also voicing skepticism, Anthony Sani, former ACF scribe, described the one-term pledge as desperation for power. “The North will likely stick with Tinubu unless he fails spectacularly,” he said.
Bitrus Kaze, a former House member who supported Obi in 2023, admitted the North may remain unconvinced despite Obi’s noble intentions. “It may sway the Middle Belt, but not the core North,” he said.
Nonetheless, Obi’s appeal appears to be growing. According to Tanko Yunusa, Global Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Obi’s rising credibility in the North is undeniable. “From traditional titles in the North to public goodwill, Obi’s single-term proposal is winning hearts. His popularity in 2025 surpasses that of 2023,” Yunusa added.
As regional blocs weigh options and political permutations unfold, 2027 is already shaping up to be a test of trust, performance, and political reinvention.