BREAKING: Popular Senator Seeks 16-Year Single Tenure For President In Nigeria
A Federal Lawmaker Kenneth Eze (APC-Ebonyi) has called for a nationwide debate on replacing Nigeria’s current two-term, four-year presidential cycle with a single 16-year tenure.
Eze, chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, made the proposal on Monday while speaking to journalists at his Ohigbo-Amagu residence in Ezza South LGA, Ebonyi State.
He argued that frequent elections disrupt policy continuity and hinder national development.
“Every four years, we return to campaign mode. By the third year, governance slows as attention shifts to re-election; that is why projects are abandoned, and policies are not allowed to mature. Nigeria’s constitution provides for a four-year presidential term, renewable once, but if you ask me, I will advocate one tenure of 16 years. It sounds controversial, but it will allow policies to run their full course and stabilise the system,” Eze said.
The senator suggested scrapping the two-term structure to free leaders from electoral pressures, allowing them to implement long-term reforms in critical sectors such as power, infrastructure, agriculture, and fiscal policy.
He emphasized that initiatives like irrigation schemes, mechanized farming programs, and energy reforms require continuity to yield measurable results. Eze also defended recent economic decisions, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, describing them as necessary to prevent fiscal collapse:
“We were borrowing to pay salaries. That is not sustainable for any country; tough decisions are necessary to secure long-term stability,” he said.
Senate
Eze stressed that his proposal is meant to spark a conversation on governance rather than undermine democracy. He called for a transparent national dialogue on constitutional reform, noting that any amendment would require approval by the National Assembly and ratification by state legislatures.
Beyond tenure reform, the senator urged Nigerians to embrace civic responsibility and patriotism. He challenged journalists, teachers, civil servants, and parents to promote national values, warning that policy changes alone cannot transform the country.
