Nigerian House of Reps Rejects Bill for Single Six-Year Presidential Term
The Nigerian House of Representatives has declined a proposed constitutional amendment to establish a single six-year term for the President, Governors, and Local Government Chairmen across the federation. The bill, introduced by Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo) with 33 co-sponsors, also sought to formalize a rotational presidency and governorship among six geopolitical zones and consolidate all elections on a single day.
The proposed amendments aimed to revise several sections of the 1999 Constitution, including:
- Section 132: Introduced rotation of the presidency between northern and southern regions every six years and mandated rotation within the three geopolitical zones in each region.
- Section 180: Extended gubernatorial terms from four to six years.
- Sections 76 and 116: Proposed holding simultaneous elections for all political offices nationwide, with dates determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Additionally, the bill sought a new provision for mid-term performance assessments of governors. If a governor failed to justify their continued stay in office, state legislatures could initiate impeachment proceedings.
Despite these detailed proposals, the House refused to allow Ugochinyere to debate the bill. Lawmakers rejected the amendments outright, citing concerns about practicality and potential disruptions to the current political framework. The rejection underscores the complexities of constitutional reform in Nigeria’s evolving democratic system.
