The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, has taken a swipe at former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his recent pledge to serve only one term if elected in 2027.
Obi, in a post via his X handle on Sunday, cited global leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela as his inspirations for making the “sacrosanct” promise.
But Onanuga, in a statement via his X handle on Monday, described Obi’s references as inaccurate and historically misleading.
According to Onanuga, a simple fact-check by Obi would have revealed that none of the leaders he cited served only one term by choice or under similar circumstances.
“Lincoln, at the time he was assassinated, had finished his first term, had won re-election, and had been sworn in for a second term,” Onanuga said, pointing out that the American president began his first term on March 4, 1861, won re-election in November 1864, and had been inaugurated for a second term on March 4, 1865, before his assassination on April 15 of that year.Related News
He also noted that JFK, another American president Obi referenced, did not complete even a single term. “John F. Kennedy came into office on January 20, 1960, and was assassinated on November 22, 1963, before the end of his first term,” Onanuga stated.
While acknowledging that Mandela indeed served only one term, Onanuga argued that the South African icon declined a second term due to his age, not as a campaign commitment.
“Mandela’s example might be more appropriately recommended to Obi’s rival for the opposition ticket, who will turn 81 by 2027,” he added in a veiled reference.
Obi has not yet formally declared his candidacy for 2027, but his recent comments and public engagements have reignited speculation about his political ambition.
