The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said it is unlikely that he will contest the presidency again in 2031, citing Nigeria’s informal zoning arrangement and his age.
Obi said the rotation of the presidency between the North and the South would play a major role in deciding whether he would seek the office again after the 2027 general election.
The former Anambra State governor made the remarks during an interview with media personality Rufai Oseni.
When asked if he would contest again should he lose the 2027 election, Obi said his decision would depend on the political situation after the poll.
“For me, it depends on what happens. I don’t want to say it because people might think that I’m saying it because of some people.”
Obi also recalled a recent conversation with a secondary school student who asked if he planned to run again after 2027.
He said:
“You will not believe it, this morning a secondary school boy asked me a question, ‘If you run this time, will you run again?’ And I said no. He asked why?
“I said because if I don’t run now, by the next time it comes, believing in the zoning formula, it will go to the North.”
He explained that if the presidency returns to the North in 2031 and remains there for two terms, he would be 78 years old by the time it is expected to rotate back to the South.
“If it goes North in 2031, by the time it comes again to the South, I will be 78 years old, and I don’t think I would be doing this at that age.”
However, Obi did not completely rule out another presidential bid.
He said he could reconsider if the presidency remains in the South after the 2027 election, although he believes that possibility is unlikely.
“If it’s still in the South in the next election, maybe, but the probability is very slim.
“I don’t know until after the outcome of the 2027 election.”
