By ONUOHA UKEH

Looking at the Nigerian political setting and the mode of behaviour and thinking of our politicians, I have always asked myself if there is actually a place for trust. I ponder on this because trust is the foundation of effective relationships and strong political systems. Most human relationships, whether business, romance or governance, rest on trust.

When people trust others, when citizens trust their leaders and institutions, they are more likely to feel a sense of ownership and belonging. Trust fosters cooperation and collaboration between people or among citizens, leaders and institutions. Trust contributes to social stability, to a great extent. Trust is what Nigerians need O trust in their leaders, trust in the country, trust in the system. What is indisputable is this: Trust must be earned.

In Nigeria’s political landscape, trust has been significantly eroded owing to the fact that the majority of political players have failed the people. Politicians indulge in promise-and-fail with impunity. Yes, during electioneering, politicians make promises but do not fulfill them, most times, and they do not lose sleep about it. In a season of distrust, politicians seldom trust themselves. Knowing who they are, they distrust each other and keep pretending that they are sincere themselves.

To show the consequences of lack of trust in the political system, when, recently, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election and former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Pater Obi, announced that, if elected President of Nigeria in the next election, he would serve for only one term of four years, many doubted him and continue to express doubts. The doubting Thomases do not want to believe that there is a peculiar politician, like Obi, who would make a promise about his plan regarding tenure in good conscience and keep to it, despite the fact that the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) guarantees four years in office for a maximum of two terms for the President and governor of a state. As they say, as a man thinketh, so he is. These politicians cannot keep their own promises. Therefore, it is hard for them to believe that Obi, who has proven to be a different breed of politician, would keep to his commitment.

Since the political landscape is a theatre of the absurd, the doubt about Obi’s sincerity has even gone to a ridiculous level that a serving governor declared that anybody who promises to serve only a single term in office should have his head examined. We can pardon our dear governor for not coming to terms with the fact that, in a country where sit-tight tendency has eaten deep into the social fabric, Obi has exhibited a high sense of accountability and transparency that are unNigerian. However, if there are people whose heads should be examined, regarding Obi’s promise of one-term tenure in office, they are those who are doubting the sincerity of his promise. This is because Obi has proven that he should be trusted in the area of keeping most promises.

Granted that corruption has eroded trust in the Nigerian political system and that failure to deliver on campaign promises or policy initiatives has dealt a bad blow on trust, Obi is among those who have built trust, anchored on transparency, accountability and engagement. As governor of Anambra State, he made certain promises and kept them.

Obi promised to hand back schools to the mission (churches). He did. He not only handed back schools to churches but also gave them money for operations. Obi promised, also as governor, to make savings for Anambra State, in the firm conviction that a man or institution that saves guarantees a brighter future. By the time he left office in 2014, he had saved billions of naira for Anambra State, which were declared publicly and confirmed by the banks warehousing it.

Obi promised to remain a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) throughout his tenure as governor. He did. He only left APGA after completing his second term in office, when the powers-that-be therein made him an outsider in the political party.

In his political trajectory, Obi faced situations where he was asked to compromise his principle as it happened during his impeachment saga. But he refused to budge, sticking to his principle. He preferred to be impeached rather than compromise his principle of incorruptibility. He was impeached and removed from office, but he returned, owing to the rule of law and providence.

Obi is right to say that four years are enough for a President to not only make an impact but also to change the narrative in a failing country or institution. There are valid examples of elected officials in Nigeria whose tenures of four years were more remarkable than some other elected officials’ eight years. In Lagos, for instance, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, the Baba Kekere of Yoruba politics, served for only four years and three months. However, his legacy stands tall as a colossus.

In Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige became governor by default. He was declared winner of the 2003 governorship election, which was later upturned by the Court of Appeal. In three years, while the governorship election petition lasted in court, Ngige was able to stamp his name on the sands of time, to the extent that Anambra people still remember his achievement.

Today, across the country, there are governors who have made tremendous marks in their short time in office. Those who have seen the wonders in Enugu and Abia states, in the two years in office of Governor Peter Mbah and Governor Alex Otti, respectively, can thump their chests to say that one term is long enough to make an impact in elective office. In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the transformation therein by Nyesom Wike in one year is visible. If Mbah, Otii and Wike were to leave office today, after two years and one year in office, respectively, there is no way they would not be remembered for their good works. Like them or hate them, their legacies will endure.

It is possible for Obi to serve for only one tenure in office as President. He has made a promise and has also declared that his “word is his bond.” The fact that he sees former global icons who served one tenure in office, like Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Abraham Lincoln of the United States of America, as role models and his argument that success is not measured by longevity, make his promise convincing. Obi has exhibited a clear conviction in his ability to make impact in government in four years. His is a conviction-driven leadership, which emphasizes the importance of strong beliefs, values and principles in guiding decision-making and action.

Leaders with conviction are driven by a clear sense of purpose and are committed to achieving their goals, even in the face of challenges and obstacles. Such leaders have clear and compelling vision for the future, which guides their decisions and actions. They are guided by a strong set of values and principles, which inform their behaviour and decisions. They are courageous and resilient, being ready to take risks and face challenges head-on.

These are characteristics Obi has exhibited in recent times. This is why he has inspired trust and confidence in his followers – the legendary “Obidients.” By his political odyssey, Obi has challenged the status quo and has gone out of his way to foster a sense of purpose.

I am one of those who do not believe that it is only when a President gets two terms of eight years in office that such a President would make an impact. No matter how long a log of wood stays in the river, it would never turn to a crocodile. A leader who would make an impact would do so, no matter the limited time in office.

The country should be considering adopting a system of government that provides for a single term of five years for a President or governor, rather than the drab two terms system, which has proven to be only for the benefit of those in office and not the people. When leaders know that they have only a single term, they would get more serious in governance. Two terms in office have proven to be a system that encourages non-performance, in either the first or the second term. It is a system that promotes entitlement, rather than distinction. (Daily Sun)

• Onuoha Ukeh, Managing Editor of The Sun, originally published this article in his column, THE SPHERE.