House of Representatives Rejects Bill Proposing Six-Year Single Term for Nigerian President

The House of Representatives has rejected a bill seeking to introduce a six-year single term for Nigeria’s president and governors, alongside other constitutional amendments. 

During Thursday’s plenary, the bill, sponsored by Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere (Imo State) and 33 other lawmakers, was voted down after a second reading motion. It also proposed rotating executive powers among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to ensure equitable representation and mitigate state creation agitations. 

Ugochinyere, while presenting the bill, said that the amendments aimed to “ensure equal representation and reduce the desperation and tempo of agitation for the creation of states”.

Under the current 1999 constitution, presidents and governors can serve two four-year terms if re-elected. The proposed amendment sought to replace this with a six-year non-renewable term, establish two vice-presidents (one from the north and one from the south), and mandate simultaneous general elections for all offices. 

However, when Speaker Tajudeen Abbas called for a voice vote, the “nays” resounded louder than the “ayes,” leading to the swift dismissal of the proposal. 

This outcome aligns with recent debates sparked by a similar proposal from former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. In September, Abubakar submitted a proposal to the National Assembly advocating a six-year term and the rotation of the presidency among the six geopolitical zones.  

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