Rabiu Kwankwaso says two written agreements commit Mr Obi to serving only one four-year term if elected president, after which the NDC would support returning the presidency to Northern Nigeria in 2031.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has stated that Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, signed two agreements committing himself to serving only one four-year term if elected in 2027.
Mr Kwankwaso explained that the documents comprise a formal agreement involving the political party and a separate personal accord between himself and Mr Obi. The former Kano State governor disclosed this information during an appearance on Channels Television’s *Politics Today* on Monday, 20 July.
According to Mr Kwankwaso, the agreement stipulates that the presidency will return to Northern Nigeria in 2031 upon the completion of an Obi-led administration’s four-year tenure.
“We have agreed to formalise it in writing,” Mr Kwankwaso stated. “We have executed one document for the party and another between the two of us.”
When asked whether he believed Mr Obi would honour his pledge and resist pressure to seek a second term, Mr Kwankwaso expressed confidence, noting that his interactions with the former Anambra State governor had convinced him that he would respect the agreement. “I personally believe him, and, based on what I now know about him, I do not believe he will change his mind when the time comes,” he said. “We are all gentlemen.”
Mr Kwankwaso added that he and Mr Obi would continue to collaborate after the proposed administration completes its term. “The agreement is that after four years, we will continue to work together as a group, as a party, and as friends and brothers,” he said. “After our four-year term, from 2027 to 2031, power returns to the North. That is the consensus.”
The former defence minister did not state that he would be the NDC presidential candidate in 2031; his comments referred broadly to the presidency returning to the North, rather than to his personal political ambitions.
Copies of the two agreements have not been made public, and Online Print Media has not independently reviewed their terms. Consequently, it remains unclear whether the documents contain enforcement mechanisms, sanctions for a breach, or provisions detailing how the NDC would select a northern presidential candidate in 2031. Mr Obi has repeatedly pledged to serve only one term if elected; however, he has yet to publicly confirm the specific details of the documents described by Mr Kwankwaso.
From failed 2023 partnership to joint ticket
This agreement marks a significant shift in the political relationship between Messrs Obi and Kwankwaso, whose attempts to ally ahead of the 2023 presidential election collapsed. At the time, Mr Obi was the Labour Party presidential candidate, while Mr Kwankwaso contested on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Although both parties discussed a joint ticket, negotiations stalled after they failed to agree on the presidential and vice-presidential roles. They ultimately contested separately; Mr Obi finished third, while Mr Kwankwaso placed fourth, though he secured a victory in Kano State, the base of his Kwankwassiya political movement.
Reflecting on their previous disagreement, Mr Kwankwaso noted that their relationship has evolved as he has gained a deeper understanding of Mr Obi’s vision. “I now recognise that Peter is a serious politician who has this country at heart. He is someone to be relied upon,” he said.
“When we compared our blueprints, we realised that we share a similar vision and mission for the country. That was why it was easy for us to agree to work together as a family.”
