A group of 35 House of Representatives members have tabled reform Bills seeking to amend the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as Amended) to limit the tenure of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Governor of State from two terms of 4 years each to a single term of 6 years and also to make the positions rotational.

The Bill also seeks the conduct of all elections in one day; the conclusion of all pre-election matters before the election; and resolutions of all post-election matters before the swearing-in of elected officials. It also seeks an amendment for the rotation of the Presidency across the six geopolitical zones in the country.

Addressing journalists on Monday after the Bill passed its first reading at plenary, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere together with other sponsors including, Hon. Aliyu Mustapha, Danga Abdulmaleek, Prof Paul Nnamchi, Mathew Nwaogu, Abiante Awaji Inombek, Midala Usman, and Sagir Koki among others said that the bill intends to enact legislation that will make provisions for a single term of 6 years; the rotation of executive political offices amongst the geo-political zones, (for Presidency, and Senatorial zones for the governorship in the general elections). It also proposes the conduct of all elections in one day to save costs and ensure higher voter turnout and election credibility.

One of the Bills is titled: “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) to Provide that the elections to the Office of President, State Governors, National Assembly, and Local Government Area Councils Shall be Conducted Simultaneously on the Same Date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Consultation with the National Assembly and for related matters”

Another is BILL “FOR 6YRS SINGLE TERM, ROTATIONAL PRESIDENCY, ALL IN ONE DAY, CONCLUSION OF PRE-ELECTION MATTER BEFORE ELECTION AND POST ELECTION DISPUTE BEFORE SWEARING IN, ECONOMIC REFORMS AND MANDATORY E-TRANSMISSION”

He lamented that Nigeria is confronted by threats of political instability and social conflicts; hence the situation propelled them to canvass for the adoption of rotational and single-tenure presidency as a potent political arrangement that can guarantee stability.

Hon Ugochinyere called for support for the bill, saying that Nigeria should emulate Mexico as they practice a presidential system of government like Nigeria, but with a single-term presidency of six years.

The bills essentially call for the restructuring of Nigeria’s governance and electoral systems. The first of the bills is a constitutional alteration bill to provide for the rotation of executive powers (Presidency) among the six geopolitical zones to ensure equal representation. For the lawmakers, this will ensure equal representation, national stability, and inclusion of all regions in the country. The bill will also help reduce government spending and wastage on elections and achieve efficiency in governance since elected leaders will not be derailed or distracted by re-election agendas.

A very important aspect of this bill is that it will also ensure that the Constitution recognizes the division of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones, and for the position of the Presidency, the rotation of power between the North and the South shall be done among the six geopolitical zones to ensure that no zone is left out in six successions.

Another bill by the group of lawmakers to amend the relevant sections of the Electoral Act to ensure that all elections (presidential, governorship, National Assembly, state houses of Assembly, and local governments) are held on the same day. Stating that elections remain the only democratic means of bringing back sanity in part to see the reforms achieved.

It is not understood why the Bills are being sponsored separately when the National Assembly is in the process of undertaking a process to amend the Constitution. Could this be a kind of vote of no confidence in the process by the lawmakers sponsoring these bills? Curiously too, the three bills don’t have any member from the South West as a co-sponsor.