The Senator representing Ebonyi under the All Progressives Congress and chairman, Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, Kenneth Eze, has called for a nationwide debate on replacing Nigeria’s current two-term, four-year presidential system with a single 16-year tenure.
Speaking on Monday at his country home in Ohigbo-Amagu, Ezza South Local Government Area, Eze argued that the country’s frequent election cycle disrupts governance and slows national development.
He said that by the third year of most administrations, attention often shifts toward re-election campaigns, leaving major projects abandoned and long-term policies unable to mature.
According to him, a single extended tenure would remove the pressure of repeated elections and allow leaders to focus on sustained reforms in key sectors such as power, infrastructure, agriculture, and fiscal policy.
He noted that initiatives like irrigation schemes, mechanised farming, and energy reforms require long-term commitment to deliver meaningful results.
Eze emphasized that his proposal should be viewed as part of a broader governance reform conversation rather than an attack on democracy.
He called for a transparent and inclusive national dialogue on constitutional reform. He also urged citizens, including journalists, teachers, civil servants, and parents, to promote civic responsibility and national values, stressing that policy reforms alone cannot transform the country.
