Senator Kenneth Eze, representing Ebonyi Central under the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called for a national debate on replacing Nigeria’s current two-term, four-year presidential system with a single 16-year tenure.
Eze, chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, made the remarks on Monday while speaking to journalists at his Ohigbo-Amagu country home in Ezza South LGA. He argued that frequent elections disrupt policy continuity and hinder national development.
“Every four years, the country returns to campaign mode. By the third year, governance slows, projects are abandoned, and policies cannot fully mature. I would advocate for a single 16-year term to allow policies to run their full course and stabilise the system,” Eze explained.
The senator suggested that a longer tenure would free leaders from constant electoral pressures, allowing them to focus on long-term reforms in critical sectors such as power, infrastructure, agriculture, and fiscal policy. He highlighted initiatives like irrigation schemes, mechanised farming, and energy reforms as areas requiring continuity to achieve meaningful results.
Eze also defended recent economic measures, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, describing them as necessary for long-term fiscal sustainability. He emphasised that the proposal is intended as a governance discussion, not an attack on democratic principles, and urged a transparent, participatory national dialogue on potential constitutional reforms.
The senator stressed that any amendment would require approval by the National Assembly and ratification by state legislatures. Beyond tenure reform, he encouraged citizens—including journalists, teachers, civil servants, and parents—to uphold civic responsibility and promote national values.
This statement follows renewed calls for a single-term presidency, after a bill proposing a six-year term was recently rejected by the National Assembly. Currently, under the 1999 Constitution, a Nigerian president may serve a maximum of two four-year terms, totaling eight years.
