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| Photo Credit: Opeyemi Bamidele |
A fresh debate is brewing in Nigeria over how long presidents and governors should remain in office.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele recently proposed replacing the current two four-year terms with a single six-year term for the President and state governors. He plans to sponsor a constitutional amendment bill in the 11th National Assembly after the 2027 general elections.
“One of the first set of bills that I look forward to moving… 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 term of six years,” Bamidele said.
He argued that the present system forces leaders to start campaigning for re-election almost immediately. “You don’t even have to worry about wasting almost one and a half years of your first term thinking and struggling… how you’ll be re-elected,” he explained. A single six-year tenure, he believes, would free office holders to focus fully on governance from day one.
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Previous Attempts and Broader Proposals
The idea is not new. In 2024, lawmakers introduced a similar constitutional amendment seeking a single six-year term. That bill also proposed official recognition of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and rotation of the presidency, governorships, and local government chairmanships. It further suggested rotating the presidency between the North and South and creating two vice-presidential positions.
The House of Representatives rejected the bill in November 2024 after it failed to scale second reading.
Peter Ameh’s Position: Accountability First
The renewed debate has drawn a response from Peter Ameh, former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and 2019 Labour Party presidential candidate.
Ameh told Naija News that he understands the concern about re-election distraction. “I agree with him on a lot of issues, especially the fact that we will see what the current president is doing… they have invested all their energies and tried to spend all the resources to prepare for a second-term election that must be won at all costs,” he said. This focus, he noted, can undermine genuine commitment to development.
However, Ameh strongly rejects a single six-year term without stronger accountability mechanisms.
“If this six-year term comes into practice, there will not be accountability. It will worsen corruption,” he warned.
He argued that the chance of re-election currently allows voters to judge performance. Removing that opportunity without a replacement check risks abuse. “He will end up deciding to use the six-year term to buy private jets, to buy new cars, to renovate the government house, and then take whatever belongs to him and leave without any accountability,” Ameh said.
Focus on Credible Elections and Real Checks
Ameh insists the real priority is credible elections. “Our major focus in this country is examining the better way we can conduct a free and fair election,” he stated. He called for an electoral commission that gives non-elite candidates a fair chance and for greater political awareness among voters, especially those who are economically vulnerable.
Instead of abolishing the second term, he proposed keeping the four-year tenure while introducing a referendum or similar assessment to decide whether an incumbent qualifies to seek re-election. “If there is a referendum, it will just qualify him if he has performed enough to be on the ballot for a second time,” he explained.
Rotational Presidency and Quality of Leadership
The debate is closely tied to the longstanding call for rotational presidency. Ameh supports the idea as a way to promote inclusivity and give different regions a stronger sense of belonging. Yet he cautioned that rotation alone is not enough. Nigeria could rotate power and still suffer under leaders who fail to use resources for the public good.
“What we need is benevolent leadership. It’s kindness in leadership. It’s people who can be trusted with the ability to turn around our resources for the good of the majority,” he said.
He stressed the need for a responsive government that prioritises poverty reduction, education, and carrying citizens along. Young people, who now make up over 50% of voters, will increasingly shape electoral outcomes, he added.
Final Stance
Ameh’s preferred path is clear: retain the four-year system, adopt rotational presidency, and introduce a referendum or similar check on incumbents seeking a second term.
“We should continue with our four-year plan. That’s why we adopt the rotational presidency and also put a referendum in place to check if a person will be qualified to run for a second term,” he concluded.
“Accountability in power matters. And without accountability, you have a government that will be extremely insensitive.”
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