House of Representative Rejects Bill for Six-Year Single Term for President, Governors
The house of representative has rejected a bill proposing a constitutional amendment to introduce a single six-year term for the office of president and state governors.
The bill, sponsored by Honourable Ikenga Ugochinyere, aimed to restructure Nigeria’s political system by recognizing the country’s six geopolitical zones, ensuring the rotation of the presidency, state governorships, and local government chairmanships across these regions. Additionally, it proposed consolidating all elections into a single day. However, when the bill was put to a vote for its second reading, the majority of lawmakers rejected it.
This marks the second time the House has rejected such a proposal. In 2019, a similar bill sponsored by John Dyegh of Benue State also failed to progress to the second reading. Dyegh’s version of the bill advocated for a six-year term for not only the president and governors but also members of the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.
He argued that this would allow lawmakers to gain more experience and reduce the violence and costs associated with re-election campaigns. Several prominent figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Anambra State Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, have supported the idea of a single-term system. Atiku had suggested a constitutional amendment to introduce a six-year term for presidents within each of the six geopolitical zones, alongside reforms like mandatory electronic voting. Soludo also expressed support, arguing that a single term would help politicians focus on governance without the distraction of future elections, a sentiment he believes is critical for meaningful development.
Despite these efforts, the proposal for a single six-year term has yet to gain enough support to advance through Nigeria’s legislative process. The debate continues, with proponents arguing that such a change would reduce election-related violence and costs while allowing elected officials more time to focus on their work.
