6-year term is wrong priority

The recent suggestion by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, that he will sponsor a bill at the onset of the 11th Assembly for a constitutional amendment to introduce a single six-year term for the offices of president and governor has generated considerable debate, and rightly so. While constitutional reforms are legitimate subjects of national discourse, this particular proposal is ill-timed, ill-conceived, and unnecessary.

Nigeria today faces challenges that demand the full attention of its political leaders. Citizens are grappling with economic hardship, rising living costs, unemployment, insecurity, and declining public confidence in governance. Across the country, many households are struggling to cope with increasingly difficult realities.

In such circumstances, it is difficult to understand why a debate about altering the tenure structure of political offices should suddenly become a national priority, even if it is intended for the next assembly, which will not be inaugurated until June 2027. At this point, the national conversation should be centred on performance, accountability, and the direction of the country.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration are approaching the completion of their first term in office. The question before Nigerians should be whether those entrusted with power in 2023 have delivered sufficiently on their promises to deserve another mandate. Likewise, those seeking to challenge the ruling party in 2027 should be presenting alternative programmes and convincing Nigerians that they represent a better option.

Instead, attention is being diverted to a constitutional proposal that has little relevance to the immediate concerns of ordinary citizens. Making such a statement at this time demonstrates a worrying disconnect from the realities confronting millions of Nigerians. It suggests that some political actors are preoccupied with future political calculations when the public expects greater focus on governance.

What makes the proposal even more puzzling is that it is not new. Similar attempts have surfaced repeatedly in Nigeria’s democratic history. During the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, constitutional amendments became highly controversial amid allegations of attempts to extend tenure. The issue resurfaced during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, and the current National Assembly has also addressed it.

Indeed, in November 2024, the House of Representatives rejected a bill seeking to introduce a single six-year term for the president and governors. The proposal was considered and found unpersuasive. It is, therefore, legitimate to ask why it continues to reappear.

Supporters of a six-year single term often argue that it would eliminate the distractions associated with re-election campaigns and allow officeholders to focus entirely on governance. While the argument may appear attractive, it overlooks a fundamental truth: good governance is not determined by the length of tenure.

The quality of leadership matters far more than the number of years attached to an office. A competent and visionary leader can achieve remarkable progress within four years and earn the confidence of citizens for a second term. Conversely, a poor leader can spend six uninterrupted years in office without delivering meaningful results.

Nigeria’s challenges do not stem from the constitutional provision allowing two terms of four years. They stem from weak institutions, poor policy implementation, lack of accountability, and leadership failures. Changing the tenure structure will not automatically solve these problems.

More importantly, the timing of this proposal raises legitimate concerns. Nigerians should not dismiss it as a casual observation. Senior political figures rarely make statements of this nature without careful consideration. It is reasonable to suspect that the objective may be to test public reaction or gradually introduce an idea into public discourse before a more serious attempt is made to pursue it.

This should serve as a wake-up call. At a time when concerns about democratic backsliding and tenure manipulation continue to surface across parts of Africa, public officials should avoid proposals capable of generating unnecessary suspicion.

The impression created by such messaging is equally troubling. It suggests that some within the political establishment may already be looking beyond the 2027 elections and contemplating the framework for future political arrangements. Such an impression can only undermine public confidence in the electoral process. Indeed, it may create the perception that certain political actors believe victory in 2027 is already assured and that discussions should now focus on what comes afterwards. Nothing could be more damaging to democratic culture. Elections derive their legitimacy from the fact that voters retain the power to determine who governs them.

Nigeria’s democracy has previously endured tensions arising from attempts to alter constitutional arrangements for political purposes. Those experiences should serve as lessons rather than precedents.

At this moment, Nigerians want solutions to insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment, and declining living standards. They want leaders who are focused on improving governance and delivering measurable results. They are far less interested in debates about extending, shortening, or restructuring political tenures.

For these reasons, Daily Trust opposes the proposal for a single six-year term for the president and governors, whether as an immediate constitutional amendment or as an agenda being set for the 11th National Assembly. It addresses no pressing national challenge, comes at the wrong time, and risks diverting attention from issues of far greater importance to Nigerians.

Nigeria does not need a new tenure formula. It needs accountable leadership, effective governance, and leaders committed to improving the lives of citizens. The proposal should therefore be dropped and should not be entertained in its present form. The nation’s priority must remain good governance, not constitutional experimentation.

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