Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State has stirred political debate after declaring that any politician who pledges to serve only a single term in office should undergo a psychological evaluation.
The governor made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday while reacting to comments made by Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Background of the Controversy
Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, had assured Nigerians during the 2023 general elections that he needed just one four-year tenure to lay the foundation for a transformative governance system. The promise was widely embraced by his supporters, who saw it as a mark of sacrifice and focus.
However, Soludo, who succeeded Obi in Anambra’s Government House years later, dismissed the idea as unrealistic and misleading. According to him, such commitments are not only disingenuous but also an attempt to play on the emotions of the electorate.
“It’s a Dishonest Promise” – Soludo
In his words:
“They come with this sweetener — ‘Oh, if you give me this, I will only spend this time.’ They know they are being disingenuous. We saw this argument in 2017 when my predecessor was seeking re-election, and the people rejected it.”
The governor argued that manifestos and policy proposals presented by politicians who make such promises are often so ambitious that not even 20 years in office would be enough to deliver them.
“Meanwhile, when you look at the manifestos they roll out, even if they were there for 20 years, they wouldn’t scratch it. So, you’re taking people for fools, insulting their intelligence, and assuming everyone is naïve,” he said.
Zoning and Power Rotation in Focus
Soludo further linked his position to the zoning arrangements that shape Anambra’s political system. He stressed that the state already has structures in place to ensure equitable power rotation, and that anyone attempting to truncate the process with “sweet promises” of a single term is only acting deceitfully.
According to him, such politicians are either deliberately attempting to deceive voters or are not mentally fit for leadership.
“If anybody says that, it’s either he is being deliberately deceitful or something is not working right upstairs. To take the people of Anambra, or Nigeria as a whole, as fools shows a mental issue,” Soludo added.
Wider Political Implications
Soludo’s remarks, though directed at Obi’s past campaign promise, highlight a larger debate in Nigerian politics the growing distrust between voters and politicians who use pledges as bait but rarely follow through once in power.
The governor’s blunt criticism has since sparked conversations on social media and within political circles, with analysts noting that it may reignite rivalry between Soludo and Obi ahead of future elections in Anambra and beyond.
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