Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), says he is unlikely to contest for Nigeria’s presidency again after the 2027 general election, citing the country’s informal zoning arrangement and his age.
According to a report by the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Obi said his decision would depend on the outcome of the 2027 election and where the presidency is expected to be zoned ahead of the 2031 poll.
He explained that if the presidency rotates to the North in 2031, as anticipated under the zoning principle, he would be 78 years old by the time it returns to the South, making another presidential bid unlikely.
“If it goes North in 2031, by the time it comes again to the South, I will be 78 years old, and I don’t think I would be doing this at that age,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor added that he could only consider another presidential bid if the presidency remained in the South after the 2027 election. However, he stressed that such a possibility was “very slim” and would ultimately depend on the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.
