APC Senator Calls for 16-Year Single Presidential Term in Nigeria
Senator Kenneth Eze, representing Ebonyi Central under the All Progressives Congress (APC), has sparked a significant debate by proposing a radical change to Nigeria's presidential tenure system. He advocates for a single 16-year term to replace the current four-year tenure, which is renewable once.
Argument Against Frequent Election Cycles
During a media interaction at his Ohigbo-Amagu country home in Ezza South Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, Senator Eze, who chairs the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, argued that the existing arrangement undermines national development. He stated that frequent election cycles distract leaders from governance, leading to weakened policy continuity.
"Every four years, we return to campaign mode. By the third year, governance slows as attention shifts to re-election; that is why projects are abandoned, and policies are not allowed to mature," Eze explained. He emphasized that this shift in focus hampers the full implementation of policies, often leaving initiatives incomplete.
Proposal for Stability and Policy Maturation
Senator Eze acknowledged that his proposal represents a sharp departure from Nigeria's current constitutional provisions but insisted it merits serious consideration. "Nigeria's constitution provides for a four-year presidential term, renewable once, but if you ask me, I will advocate one tenure of 16 years. It sounds controversial, but it will allow policies to run their full course and stabilise the system," he added.
He framed the idea as a means to foster stability, arguing that a longer single term would enable administrations to see policies through to completion without the interruptions caused by re-election campaigns.
Call for National Dialogue and Democratic Safeguards
The lawmaker stressed that his position should not be viewed as an attempt to weaken democracy. Instead, he urged it as a catalyst for a national conversation on governance efficiency. Eze highlighted that any move towards an extended single term would require extensive constitutional amendments and robust safeguards to preserve democratic checks and balances.
He concluded by calling for a broad-based national dialogue on constitutional reform, noting that only collective consensus could determine whether a longer single presidential tenure would truly serve Nigeria's long-term development goals. This proposal comes amid ongoing discussions about electoral and governance reforms in the country.
