- Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has announced plans to sponsor a constitutional amendment bill to establish a single six-year tenure for the president and state governors.
- The lawmaker argues that Nigeria’s current two-term system forces executives to waste valuable time and resources strategizing for re-election campaigns mid-way through their first term.
- To become law, the ambitious proposal will require extensive amendments to the 1999 Constitution, requiring approval from two-thirds of the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has revealed plans to introduce a major constitutional amendment bill aimed at creating a single six-year tenure for the president of Nigeria and state governors.
Eko Hot Blog reports that speaking during a media briefing in his office, Bamidele explained that the proposal will be among the frontline legislative items he intends to champion.
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He expects to formally introduce the bill during the 11th National Assembly after the conclusion of the 2027 general elections.
Under the current democratic framework, Nigeria operates a maximum limit of two four-year terms for executive heads of government.
Bamidele strongly argued that the current structural timeline serves as a significant distraction to effective public administration.
He noted that elected leaders are often forced to begin scheming for a second term barely two years into their first tenure.
He believes this dynamic actively diverts executive focus and public funds away from critical governance priorities.
If a leader knows they only have one single block of six years, they will put in their best work from day one without worrying about campaign survival.
The lawmaker readily acknowledged that his proposed system will generate passionate debate across the country. However, he maintained that the primary purpose of parliament is to ensure that national laws evolve alongside changing political realities.
The proposal is bound to reignite a long-standing debate that has surfaced repeatedly since the country’s return to civilian rule in 1999.
Notably, prominent opposition figures have previously pushed for similar single-term reforms. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar recently advocated for a six-year single term alongside a rotational presidency framework among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Conversely, critics of the single-tenure concept argue that a second-term option remains essential for holding leaders accountable.
They maintain that the threat of an upcoming election gives the electorate a peaceful weapon to reward outstanding executive performance or punish underachieving politicians.
For Bamidele’s bill to successfully transition into law, it faces a rigorous legislative pathway.
The proposal must garner a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers of the National Assembly and secure individual ratifications from at least 24 out of the 36 state Houses of Assembly across the federation.
