(Peter Obi. Photo by Nation News)
The 2027 Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has given an indication of why he might not contest for the presidency in 2031.
Stressing that the possibility is quite slim, Obi said the zoning arrangement between the North and the South would be a major factor in determining whether he runs in 2031.
In an interview with media personality Rufai Oseni, he explained that if the presidency goes to the North in 2031, he would be 78 years old by the time power returns to the South, making it unlikely that he would contest again at that age.
Asked whether he would seek the presidency again should he lose in 2027, Obi said it would depend on how things unfold, noting that he was reluctant to state his position outright for fear that people might read ulterior motives into it.
He recalled that a secondary school student had asked him earlier that day whether he would run again if he contested this time, to which he responded no.
When the boy asked why, he explained that if he did not run now, the zoning formula would likely see power shift to the North next, and if that happened in 2031, by the time it returned to the South again, he would be 78 years old, an age at which he does not believe he would still be pursuing the presidency.
The former Anambra State governor, however, noted that if power remains in the South after the 2027 election, he might consider contesting in 2031, though he stressed that the probability remains very slim and would depend on the outcome of the 2027 poll.
