Senator Kenneth Eze has called for a nationwide discussion on replacing Nigeria’s current two-term, four-year presidential system with a single 16-year tenure.
The lawmaker, who chairs the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, made the proposal on Monday while speaking to journalists at his Ohigbo-Amagu country home in Ezza South LGA, Ebonyi State.
Senator Eze argued that frequent elections undermine policy continuity and slow 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,” he said.
He emphasized that a 16-year single term would free leaders from electoral pressures, allowing them to implement long-term reforms in critical sectors such as power, infrastructure, agriculture, and fiscal management. According to him, programs like irrigation schemes, mechanized farming initiatives, and energy reforms require sustained focus to yield measurable results.
The senator also 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,” he explained.
Senator Eze clarified that his proposal is intended to stimulate a governance conversation, not to undermine democracy. He urged for a broad national dialogue on constitutional reform to assess whether an extended presidential tenure could improve policy implementation while maintaining checks and balances. Any amendment would require approval by the National Assembly and ratification by state legislatures, he added.
Beyond tenure reform, Senator Eze encouraged citizens to embrace civic responsibility and patriotism, warning that policy changes alone cannot transform the nation. He challenged journalists, teachers, civil servants, and parents to actively promote national values and accountability.
(NAN)