CUPP Describes Proposed Six-year Term For Presidency, Gov. As Ineffective Solution To Nigeria

The Coalition of United Political Parties and the Nigerian Political Science Association have rejected the proposed six-year single term for the president and state governors, describing it as an unnecessary and ineffective solution to the country’s challenges.

The spokesperson for CUPP, Mark Adebayo, and the immediate past president of NPSA, Prof. Hassan Saliu, argued in separate interviews with Sunday PUNCH that extending the tenure of elected executives to a single six-year term would neither address the country’s security concerns nor solve pressing challenges in infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic development.

On Wednesday, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, announced plans to sponsor a bill proposing a single six-year term for the president and governors, saying the reform would enable elected officials to concentrate on governance rather than re-election campaigns.

He said the proposed legislation would be among the first bills he intended to present in the Senate following the 2027 general elections.

Nigeria currently operates a two-term system that allows presidents and governors to serve two four-year terms.

Bamidele, however, maintained that the existing arrangement often pushes officeholders to begin planning for re-election midway through their first term, which he believes detracts from effective governance.

Commenting on the proposed legislation, the CUPP spokesperson warned that the proposal could fuel suspicions of a hidden agenda to elongate the tenure of the current or potential beneficiaries of the bill, recalling past controversies surrounding attempts to amend constitutional term limits.

He stated, “That statement could trigger suspicion of a third-term agenda or an elongated tenure. So, there will be suspicions. Number two is that it is unworkable for Nigeria to have a single-term presidency or governorship. In their first term, presidents and governors do much better than in their second term. So, if anybody wins the presidency or governorship and knows they are not coming back, they may just do anyhow, knowing they are not returning.

“Rather, what we should do is that the issue of one term or two terms should be tinkered with in a very creative manner. For instance, if I am elected a governor for a tenure of four years, after my four years, I shouldn’t have the right to contest immediately as a sitting governor or president. I should vacate office after four years. If I need to come back, I will campaign again four years later. But I will not have the capacity to use the machinery of state and the treasury of the state for campaigns. If you do that, a lot of our governors and presidents will do much better.