Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso has confirmed that he and the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, signed a written agreement committing to a one-term presidency if they win the 2027 presidential election.
Kwankwaso, who is the vice-presidential candidate of the party, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television on Monday.
He said the agreement was reached as part of a broader political understanding aimed at maintaining balance between the North and the South.
According to him, Obi has assured party stakeholders that he would serve only one four-year term and hand over power afterwards in line with the arrangement reached by both leaders.
Speaking during the interview, Kwankwaso said he had confidence that Obi would keep his word if elected president.
“Oh yes, I personally believe him and… I don’t think, based on what I now know about him… he will change his mind when the time comes, and we are all gentlemen, even though we have accepted to put it on paper,” he said.
The former Kano State governor revealed that the agreement was not merely verbal but had been documented and signed by the parties involved.
Responding to a question on whether the understanding had been formally documented, Kwankwaso said both the party and the two candidates signed separate agreements to guarantee the commitment.
“We have done one for the party, and we have done another one between the two of us,” he said.
He explained that the arrangement provides for a four-year administration under Obi from 2027 to 2031, after which the presidency would return to the North.
“The agreement is what you said, that after four years… we will work together, team together as a group, as a party, as friends, brothers and so on… so that after his term, or our term, of four years, 2027 to 2031, then it comes back to the North, and that is the general agreement,” Kwankwaso stated.
The disclosure offers fresh insight into the internal understanding that led to the alliance between Obi and Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Kwankwaso had previously sought the presidency and remained one of the leading political figures from Northern Nigeria. His decision to accept the vice-presidential slot generated significant interest across the political landscape, with many observers questioning the basis of the arrangement between both leaders.
Addressing the issue, the former governor said the current political situation in the country made a four-year southern presidency the most acceptable option before power rotates back to the North.
“Together we felt that the presidency should go to the South for four years; thereafter it will come back to the North. We believe that should be the consensus of everybody in this country so that we can move together as a family, both North and South,” he said.
The issue of power rotation has remained a major subject in Nigeria’s political discourse, especially as parties continue to position themselves ahead of the next general election.
Kwankwaso also spoke about the future political direction of the NDC and his own ambitions beyond the 2027 election cycle.
While he did not directly declare an intention to contest for president in 2031, he suggested that the party was already looking beyond its immediate electoral objective.
“We have a short-term plan which we are executing now and, of course, we also have our medium and long-term plans for the country, and that is what we are working on now,” he said.
The latest comments come months after Obi publicly stated that he would serve only one term if elected president.
The former Anambra State governor had made the pledge in May. According to him, a single four-year tenure would be sufficient to implement key reforms and strengthen democratic institutions.
“I want to be a one-term president because of stability. I would not stay a day, with a gun to my head, longer than four years,” Obi had said.