Makinde Renews Call for Single-Term Presidency, Govs’ Tenure

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has revived debate over Nigeria’s tenure system by proposing a single five- or six-year term for the president, state governors, and local government chairpersons.

Makinde argued that Nigeria’s current two-term, eight-year structure encourages underperformance and distractions, noting that officials are often only effective in their first five years due to electioneering and political pressures.

Reflecting on his own experience, he said the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out 2020, while re-election campaigns further disrupted governance. “Effectively, serious governance only spans about five out of eight years,” he said, urging a review of the system.

Although a similar proposal was rejected by the House of Representatives in November 2024, the conversation has resurfaced, gaining support from civil society actors and lawmakers.

Human rights lawyer Maduabuchi Idam backed Makinde’s call, saying the current two-term structure distracts leaders from meaningful development. He accused the current administration of focusing more on 2027 political calculations than on governance, warning that Nigeria’s economic and security crises are worsening as a result.

Idam insisted that the National Assembly must revisit the six-year single term bill to prevent elected officials from abusing power and failing in their mandates.

Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former political adviser to President Tinubu, described the two-term assumption as a constitutional fallacy, pointing out that the Nigerian constitution only guarantees a four-year term, with re-election being optional.

According to Baba-Ahmed, the two-term norm is a product of public perception, not law, and has become an ethno-political distraction. He emphasized that structural reforms alone won’t change governance unless there is a shift in political character and voter awareness.

He argued that even with a single six-year term, the current crop of politicians would still misuse their time in office unless held accountable by citizens.

Baba-Ahmed also expressed doubt that the current National Assembly—allegedly influenced by the executive—has the independence to enact such fundamental reforms.

Meanwhile, Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere, who sponsored the original six-year tenure bill in 2024, reaffirmed his commitment to reintroducing the proposal. He believes that a single-term system would reduce public sector waste and enhance national development.

Ugochinyere also confirmed that his bill to hold all elections in one day has passed second reading in the House, saying it complements the single-term reform push.