The simmering political rivalry between Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, and former Anambra governor and Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has once again flared up ahead of the 2027 general elections. The renewed exchange of words between the two political heavyweights reflects not only deep personal and ideological differences but also signals the intensifying political temperature in Nigeria as the 2027 presidential race begins to take shape.
On 29 June 2025, Mr Obi officially declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, pledging to serve only one four-year term if elected. This declaration, which sparked wide debate across Nigeria’s political landscape, was part of his broader campaign to present himself as a candidate committed to reforms, accountability, and service-driven leadership. Mr Obi, who governed Anambra State between 2006 and 2014, has consistently positioned himself as a different kind of politician; one who, unlike many in Nigeria’s political class, seeks to keep his promises and lead with principle.
However, Governor Soludo, a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has dismissed the one-term pledge as absurd and insulting to the intelligence of Nigerians. During a recent political rally in Anambra South District organised in support of his second-term bid, Soludo launched a scathing attack, suggesting without directly naming Mr Obi that any politician making such a promise should undergo psychiatric evaluation. “How can anybody with a brain say that? You think you are talking to fools? Anybody, any politician who said that, must be sent to a psychiatric home,” Soludo said, reinforcing his stance that promises like Obi’s are not only unrealistic but politically manipulative.
Governor Soludo questioned the logic of rejecting a constitutionally allowed second term, arguing that no credible precedent exists for such a vow. “Tell us where it has ever happened or who. Anybody who is saying this needs a psychiatric examination because you are taking every one of us to be a fool,” he said, raising questions about the sincerity and strategy behind Obi’s position.
In a swift response posted on his verified Facebook page, Mr Peter Obi reaffirmed his commitment to serve a single term, insisting that the scepticism around his pledge stemmed from a culture of broken political promises. While not mentioning Soludo directly, Obi said he was aware of remarks suggesting he should not be believed even if he swore by a shrine, and that anyone promising a one-term presidency required mental evaluation. “They forget, or perhaps choose to ignore, that Peter Obi is not cut from that cloth,” he said, stressing that integrity and public trust remain central to his political philosophy.
Obi further argued that those attacking his one-term stance were, in effect, questioning the logic behind Nigeria’s constitution, which allows for a renewable four-year term but does not compel a second tenure. “If making such a promise qualifies me for psychiatric evaluation, then we may as well question the mental fitness of those who framed our constitution,” he remarked, asserting that personal commitment to a single tenure should not be misconstrued as madness.
This is not the first public clash between Soludo and Obi. In 2022, ahead of the 2023 elections, Governor Soludo publicly dismissed Peter Obi’s chances of winning, describing his campaign as lacking political structure and being overly reliant on the relatively weak voting base of the South-east. At the time, Soludo also downplayed the value of investments made by Obi during his time as governor, claiming they were “worth next to nothing.”
Obi, in response, acknowledged that while investments can fluctuate in value, at least one of the companies in which the state invested was still operational and had created employment opportunities for residents. He took the high road, stating, “I have done my little own as a trader, now the professor is there. He will do his own as a professor. The schools I didn’t roof, he will roof them. That’s how government goes.”
As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, this renewed exchange between Soludo and Obi not only underscores ongoing political rivalries within the South-east but also raises broader questions about leadership values, political accountability, and the culture of governance in Nigeria. Mr Obi’s one-term vow and Governor Soludo’s fierce rebuttal are likely to remain a focal point in the political discourse as the country inches closer to what promises to be another fiercely contested presidential race. The outcome of these debates and the choices made by voters in 2027 will play a critical role in shaping the trajectory of Nigeria’s democratic future.