Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has announced plans to sponsor a constitutional amendment bill seeking to introduce a single six-year tenure for presidents and state governors, arguing that the reform would enable elected leaders to focus fully on governance rather than re-election campaigns.
Bamidele disclosed the proposal while speaking with journalists in his office on Tuesday, describing it as one of the key bills he hopes to introduce in the next Senate following the 2027 general elections.
Nigeria currently operates a two-term system that allows presidents and governors to serve a maximum of two four-year terms. However, the Senate leader contended that the arrangement often shifts the attention of elected officials away from governance as they begin planning for a second term shortly after assuming office.
“One of the first set of bills that I look forward to moving, by God’s grace, when we come back for the 11th Senate, God willing, is a bill that will make it possible for anyone who wants to be president of this country, or governor in any part of this country, to serve only one term of six years,” Bamidele said.
According to him, a single six-year tenure would eliminate the distractions associated with seeking re-election and allow leaders to devote their entire mandate to delivering results.
“So that you don’t have to spend almost one and a half years of your first term thinking about how to get re-elected. If you know you are there for six years and only one tenure, you put in your best from day one. You know this is the only chance that you have,” he stated.
Bamidele acknowledged that the proposal may not enjoy universal support but insisted that lawmakers have a responsibility to champion reforms they believe will strengthen governance and democratic institutions.
“That’s my opinion. It doesn’t mean everybody will agree with me. But it also does not mean that I am prevented from pursuing it because it has not been the law,” he added.
The Senate leader further stressed that laws should evolve to reflect changing realities and national needs.
“The essence of law and the essence of parliament is that laws are like human beings; they grow,” he said.
The proposal is expected to revive longstanding debates over executive tenure in Nigeria. Since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999, advocates of a single tenure have argued that it would reduce the political pressures of re-election campaigns, encourage long-term policy planning, and promote greater accountability.
A similar proposal was recently advanced by former Vice President and presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who recommended a six-year single term for presidents and governors, alongside the constitutional rotation of the presidency among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. He had indicated that such constitutional reforms would be a priority if elected president.
However, critics of the idea argue that the current two-term system gives citizens the opportunity to assess the performance of elected leaders and either renew their mandate or vote them out of office after four years.
If formally introduced and passed by the National Assembly, the proposed legislation would require significant amendments to the 1999 Constitution. It would also need the approval of at least two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly before it can become law.
