You Can’t Fix Nigeria in Four Years – El-Rufai Counters Peter Obi’s One-Term Presidency Plan
Story written by Zara September 1,2025
Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed the idea that Nigeria’s challenges can be solved within a single four-year presidential term, directly responding to the position of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Obi had recently suggested that if given the opportunity to lead Nigeria, he would only seek a one-term presidency, arguing that four years would be enough to set the country on the path of stability and growth.
But speaking in reaction, El-Rufai said Nigeria’s deep-rooted problems require more than four years to address, stressing that effective reforms and transformation take time.
“You can’t fix Nigeria in four years. Our problems didn’t start overnight, and they won’t end overnight. It will take sustained policies and leadership beyond one term to achieve real progress,” El-Rufai said.
The former governor argued that while short-term reforms are possible, turning Nigeria into a truly stable and prosperous nation demands consistency and patience from both leaders and citizens.
El-Rufai has in recent weeks been vocal about Nigeria’s political direction, criticizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and aligning with opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi in a bid to form a formidable political coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
