There has been proposal of Nigeria six year single term in 2026 by one of the senate leader of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The essence of the proposed idea of Nigeria six year single term both for the Presidential and Governor offices was to ensure effectiveness in the democracy that is practiced in Nigeria.
This had stirred the attention of other politicians on how favorable the Nigeria six year single term is going to be for Nigerians. The bothered question now is that if a president knows from day one that there is no second term, no re-election to plan for, no political calculations to make, no supporters to reward for their loyalty, would they govern better or worse.
The Nigeria six year single term might be a great idea, who knows? However, we will diagnosis if it’s going to be an effect system of government or not by the end of this article.
What Bamidele Is Actually Suggesting and When It Could Happen
The Senate leader of the Ekiti Central named Senator Opeyemi Bamidele suggested that there should be a constitutional amendment to replace Nigeria’s current two term with a Nigeria six year single term for both the President and State Governors.
He said that that the purpose of the proposed Nigeria six year single term is to reduce the distraction of second term re-election campaigns, eradicate the huge expenses spent on re-election, allow elected leaders to focus on the government rather than politics, and help the government to channel full energy in growing the country with one full term in mind.
Bamidele said ‘One of the first set of bills that I look forward to moving, by God’s grace, when we come back for the 11th Senate, God willing, is for a bill that will only make it possible for anyone who wants to be President of this country, or Governor in any part of this country, to spend only one tenure of six years… so that you don’t even have to worry about wasting almost one and a half years of your first term thinking and struggling about how you will be re-elected.’
This simply means it is just a proposal, the bill has not been officially presented in the Senate Assembly. However, Bamidele said that hopefully when he comes back for the 11th National Assembly which will commence after the 2027 general election, he will sponsor the Nigeria six year single term for President and all State Governors.
Bamidele said if the bill is formally passed, it will take effect from the 2031 elections and not affect the 2027 general election.
What Critics Say Nigeria Would Lose
Critics like opposition politicians, constitutional lawyers, civil society groups, and some APC members go against the Nigeria six year single term proposal. They said it is going to be dangerous and would do more harm than good.
They emphasized that a leader who knows they can’t be re-elected may become arrogant, unresponsive, and less concerned about public opinion while some complained that a 6-year term without re-election pressure could encourage leaders to become more dictatorial, suppress opposition, and manipulate institutions, knowing there will be no “Day of Judgment” at the polls.
Final Thoughts on the Proposed Nigeria Six Year Single Term
Oyo Governor, Seyi Makinde has also proposed a single 6-year term for Nigerian Presidents and Governors. This makes it not to sound as an APC party biased agenda before Nigerians.
Elections are the heartbeat of democracy. While the intention of reducing distractions may sound good, however the cost to democracy and accountability is too high. Nigeria would lose one of its strongest checks on power which is the fear of re-election. Both positions have advantages and both have serious risks. The honest answer is that none of the system fixes bad leadership. The only thing that fixes bad leadership are better institutions, better citizens, and better candidates.
Do you think Nigerian presidents and governors should serve one term of six years or keep the current two terms of four years each? Tell us your honest view below. EasySmallTalk covers politics, entertainment, health, lifestyle, and world news every day. Explore more stories on EasySmallTalk
