An aspirant of the All Progressives Congress for the Abia South Senatorial District, Prince Paul Ikonne, has criticised former presidential candidate Peter Obi over his reported promise to serve only one term if elected president.

Speaking during a media interactive session in Abuja on Thursday, Ikonne argued that the South East would not support a presidential arrangement limited to four years when other regions had enjoyed two-term presidencies lasting eight years.

According to him, the people of the South East are interested in producing a president who would complete a full constitutional tenure rather than a single-term administration.

“Why would he promise to be president for four years? So, he is trying to deprive the Southeasterners when other zones are doing eight years. No Southeast man will vote for such a thing,” Ikonne stated during the parley.

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Ikonne insisted that when the opportunity eventually comes for the South East to produce Nigeria’s president, the occupant should be allowed to govern for eight years in line with what he described as political fairness across regions.

He maintained that the region would not accept what he termed a reduced tenure arrangement, adding that Igbo political stakeholders were focused on long-term political inclusion at the national level.

The APC chieftain also claimed that some influential political figures from the South East were already mobilising support for the re-election of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

According to him, governors and political leaders across the region, including Alex Otti, were allegedly backing Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

Ikonne further disclosed that Hope Uzodimma had reportedly established mobilisation structures aimed at rallying Igbo voters across Nigeria in support of Tinubu ahead of the next general election.

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He claimed the campaign effort was extending beyond the South East region, noting that mobilisation activities were targeting Igbo communities nationwide.

According to him, support for Tinubu would come from “shop to shop, market to market,” in areas populated by Igbo traders and residents across the country.

Ikonne also mocked the feasibility of a single four-year presidency, arguing that governance processes and appointments consume significant time in office.

“It may take him two years to appoint ministers and settle into government before four years will be over,” he said while dismissing Obi’s proposed tenure plan.

The comments add to the growing political conversations surrounding zoning, rotation of power, and the 2027 presidential election. Discussions over whether the South East should produce Nigeria’s next president have remained a major issue in national politics, especially following the 2023 election cycle.

Peter Obi, who emerged as one of the leading opposition figures during the last presidential election, continues to attract support among youths and sections of the South East electorate. However, political debates around tenure, zoning, and coalition-building are already shaping narratives ahead of the next election season.

Neither Obi nor his political camp had officially responded to Ikonne’s comments as of the time of filing this report.