Senator Proposes Single 16-Year Presidential Term for Nigeria

Kenneth Eze (APC-Ebonyi), chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, has called for a nationwide debate on replacing Nigeria’s current two-term, four-year presidential system with a single 16-year tenure.

Speaking at his Ohigbo-Amagu country home in Ezza South LGA on Monday, Mr. Eze argued that frequent election cycles disrupt policy continuity and slow national development.

“Every four years, governance shifts toward campaigning. By the third year, attention turns to re-election, projects are abandoned, and policies are cut short,” he said. “A single 16-year term would allow policies to run their full course and stabilize the system.”

Mr. Eze suggested that sectors such as power, infrastructure, agriculture, and fiscal management require long-term commitment. He cited irrigation schemes, mechanized farming programs, and energy reforms as examples of initiatives needing sustained attention to achieve meaningful results.

Defending recent economic measures, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, he said, “We were borrowing to pay salaries. Tough decisions are necessary to secure long-term stability.”

He emphasized that the proposal is intended to spark a governance discussion, not undermine democracy, and called for a broad national dialogue on constitutional reform. Any changes, he noted, would require approval by the National Assembly and ratification by state legislatures.

Beyond constitutional matters, Mr. Eze urged citizens to embrace civic responsibility and national values, stressing that policy reforms alone cannot drive lasting transformation.