The House of Representatives has once again thrown out a bill proposing a single six-year term for the offices of President and state governors. Sponsored by Honourable Ikenga Ugochinyere, the bill aimed to alter Nigeria’s Constitution to enforce term limits, address regional power rotation, and consolidate elections into a single day. But thankfully , the majority of lawmakers swiftly voted against it during its second reading.
This isn’t the first time the House has shown such wisdom. A similar bill in 2019, pushed by John Dyegh of Benue State, also crashed and burned. Dyegh had wanted six-year terms for National Assembly members and state lawmakers, arguing it would give them more “experience.” Seriously? What about using their current terms to actually deliver results? Or is “experience” code for something else entirely? very unserious people.
Let’s not forget the funny justification for these extended terms. Proponents like Dyegh argue that re-election campaigns cost three times more than initial elections and breed violence. So their solution? A single term so politicians can squander six uninterrupted years instead of just four. Brilliant logic, if you’re not the one suffering under leadership that often delivers little more than unmet promises and economic stagnation.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also championed the six-year single-term idea, tying it to an even broader constitutional reform agenda. He called for mandatory electronic voting, stricter candidate verification by INEC, and improved election result collation.
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo echoed the sentiment in June, advocating for single terms to free politicians from the distraction of perpetual campaigning. “Sometimes, these conversations about single term might begin to make some sense,” Soludo said, lamenting how governance is often paralyzed by election fever. If history has taught us anything, it’s that the problem isn’t term length, it’s accountability. A non-performing politician will find ways to waste both four years and six years.
The lawmakers’ rejection of this bill is a small win for common sense in a system often criticized for its inefficiency. Let’s hope this idea stays buried for good. Instead of playing with term lengths, how about we focus on reforms that actually improve governance, like reducing corruption, ensuring electoral transparency, and holding leaders accountable? Because, at the end of the day, it’s not about how long politicians stay in office, it’s about what they do while they’re there.
