Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has said age and Nigeria’s zoning arrangement may prevent him from contesting again after the 2027 election.
In a recent interview with media personality Rufai Oseni on Monday, Obi admitted that running in 2031 looks unlikely for him.
“It depends on what happens,” Obi said. “I don’t want to say it now because people may think I’m saying it because of some people.”
The former Anambra State governor said the question first came up when a secondary school student asked him if he would try again after 2027. That question, he said, got him thinking about time and politics.
Obi explained how Nigeria’s informal zoning system works against a long political career. Under the arrangement, power rotates between the North and South every eight years.
“If I don’t contest now and power goes to the North in 2031, then by the time it returns to the South, I will be 78,” he said. “At that age, I don’t think I will still be doing this.”
Obi will be 65 years old during the 2027 general election.
He did not completely shut the door, however. The NDC candidate said he might reconsider if the presidency remains in the South after 2027.
“If it’s still in the South, maybe,” he added. “But the probability is very slim. I will only know after the outcome of the 2027 election.”
Obi ran for president in 2023 under the Labour Party. He is now leading the NDC into the 2027 race with a promise of a “new Nigeria.”
Political analysts say Obi’s remarks reflect a reality many Nigerian politicians face. Since 1999, zoning has shaped who gets the presidential ticket and when, often forcing aspirants to wait decades for their turn.
For now, Obi says his mind is set on one thing.
“My focus is 2027,” he stated. “I want to offer Nigerians a new direction. What happens after that will depend on the people and the situation at that time.”