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Anambra Governor mocks politicians pledging single-term in office, calls them mentally unstable
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Declares that any leader rejecting a constitutional two-term right has “a faulty brain”
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Comments seen as veiled criticism of Peter Obi and Seyi Makinde’s recent single-term stance
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has launched a stinging attack on politicians who pledge to serve only a single term in office, describing such declarations as not only deceptive but also indicative of a psychological imbalance.
Speaking during a high-energy political rally in Anambra South on Saturday, Soludo said any politician who publicly commits to a one-term presidency or governorship should be taken for mental evaluation, asserting that such statements insult the intelligence of Nigerian voters.
According to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the idea of limiting oneself to a single term, when the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria expressly provides for two, amounts to deliberate political dishonesty or outright self-delusion.
“How can any man or woman with a working brain walk up to the public and say they will do only one term?” Soludo questioned as the crowd cheered. “Do you think you’re talking to fools? Such a person should be taken to a psychiatric hospital because there must be something wrong in their head.”
His blunt remarks, which drew spontaneous applause from party loyalists and supporters gathered at the event, are being widely interpreted as a direct rebuttal of recent statements made by notable political figures, including Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and former Anambra Governor Peter Obi.
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Both men have at different times advocated for a single-term tenure, citing either national unity or the urgency of governance reforms as their justification.
Just last month, Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate and Soludo’s predecessor, told a national television audience that he would serve for only four years if elected, promising to demonstrate the viability of effective leadership within that time.
“I don’t need more than four years,” Obi had said. “In two years, there has been maximum damage in this country. In four years, I can show what good governance looks like.”
Governor Makinde also proposed a constitutional amendment that would restrict the presidential tenure to a single six-year term, arguing that frequent re-election campaigns hinder focused governance and encourage political instability.
However, Soludo appeared unconvinced by those arguments, suggesting instead that such promises often mask a deeper unwillingness to be held accountable over time.
He insisted that the right to two terms as enshrined in the Constitution is not just a personal entitlement but a structural necessity for delivering long-term development goals.
“It takes more than four years to restructure a broken system. Anyone promising just one term either lacks the courage to lead or is planning to quit before the consequences of failure catch up,” Soludo argued. “Let’s be honest, you want to do one term so that you can leave before people see your true colour. That’s not leadership, that’s cowardice.”
The Governor, who is widely believed to be preparing to contest for a second term in office in 2026, used the occasion to outline some of his administration’s achievements and plans, reiterating that continuity remains essential for meaningful change.
His speech resonated with many in the crowd, especially as he drew comparisons with past leaders who were “cut off midstream by term limits or politics,” hindering sustainable reforms.
However, it also reinforces Soludo’s positioning as a vocal and unapologetic defender of institutional order and constitutional fidelity, particularly in a political climate often driven by populist rhetoric.
