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.
Mr Eze, chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, said this on Monday while addressing journalists at his Ohigbo-Amagu country home in Ezza South LGA.
He noted that frequent election cycles undermined policy continuity and stalled 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,” Mr Eze explained.
Mr Eze therefore proposed scrapping the two-term structure in favour of a single, extended tenure that would free leaders from electoral pressures and enable them to pursue long-term reforms.
The lawmaker noted that critical sectors such as power, infrastructure, agriculture and fiscal reform required sustained commitment beyond short political cycles.
According to him, irrigation schemes, mechanised farming programmes and energy reforms demand continuity to yield a measurable impact. He defended recent economic measures, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, describing them as unavoidable steps to avert fiscal collapse.
”We were borrowing to pay salaries. That is not sustainable for any country; tough decisions are necessary to secure long-term stability,” said Mr Eze.
Mr Eze maintained that his proposal should be seen as a governance conversation, not an assault on democracy. He called for a broader national dialogue on constitutional reform to determine whether an extended tenure could improve implementation while preserving checks and balances.
He acknowledged that any amendment would require approval by the National Assembly and ratification by state legislatures, but stressed that the process must remain transparent and participatory.
Beyond tenure reform, Mr Eze urged citizens to embrace civic responsibility and patriotism. He challenged journalists, teachers, civil servants and parents to promote national values, warning that policy changes alone could not transform the country.
(NAN)
