The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said the 2027 presidential election could be his final attempt to seek Nigeria’s highest office, citing his age and the country’s informal power rotation arrangement between the North and the South.
Obi made the remarks during an interview with media personality Rufia Oseni, explaining that his decision on whether to contest again after 2027 would depend on the outcome of the election and where the presidency is expected to be zoned in 2031.
The former Anambra State governor noted that, if the presidency returns to the North after the 2027 election in line with the rotational principle observed by many political parties, it would likely not return to the South until 2039.
According to Obi, he would be about 78 years old by then, making another presidential bid unlikely.
“If I don’t run now, by the next time it comes to the South, I will be 78 years old, and I don’t think I would be doing this at that age,” Obi said.
He, however, said he could reconsider if circumstances changed, stressing that the possibility of another presidential contest after 2027 remains “very slim.”
“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,” he added.
Obi also maintained that his political ambition is driven by a desire to improve governance and address Nigeria’s economic and security challenges rather than a lifelong quest for political office.
His comments come amid increasing political activity ahead of the 2027 general election, with major parties positioning their candidates and alliances while debates over zoning and power rotation continue to shape the country’s political landscape.
Although Nigeria’s Constitution does not mandate the rotation of the presidency between the North and the South, the principle has long influenced the internal arrangements of several major political parties and remains a significant factor in the country’s electoral politics.
