Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is advocating for a constitutional amendment that would introduce a single five- or six-year term for elected public officials in Nigeria. He believes this change would reduce political distractions and allow leaders to focus more effectively on governance.
Makinde made this suggestion during a visit from Muslim faithful led by Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal, shortly after Eid-el-Kabir prayers at his Ibadan residence. The group included traditional and political leaders.
Reflecting on his own six years in office, Makinde said the realities of Nigeria’s two-term system leave officials with only about five productive years out of eight, as the remaining time is consumed by re-election campaigns and political manoeuvring.
“I’ve spent six years already. We lost 2020 to COVID-19, and another year went into campaigning for a second term,” he said. “Now, I’m being distracted again by speculation about what I plan to do next.”
Makinde argued that removing these distractions through a single-term system would enable elected leaders to fully concentrate on their responsibilities. “A single term of five or six years is enough to achieve what we try to do in eight,” he added. “This isn’t about me—if they say I should step down after this, so be it.”
He urged Nigerians to begin serious national discussions on the issue, noting that similar proposals have been presented to the National Assembly in the past. “This is a constitutional matter, and we need to start rethinking it. From my experience, this model can work for Nigeria.”
Nigeria’s current 1999 Constitution (as amended) permits elected presidents and governors to serve up to two four-year terms.
Makinde’s position aligns with an earlier suggestion by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who, in October 2024, called for a six-year single presidential term with power rotating among the six geo-political zones. However, the House of Representatives rejected a bill supporting that proposal in November 2024.
