A group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives, led by Ikenga Ugochinyere from Ideato Federal Constituency, proposed changes to the 1999 Constitution on Monday.
They believe these changes will improve governance in Nigeria.
The group, known as the Reform Minded Legislators, suggested a six-year single tenure for the President and the 36 state governors. They said this proposal would help reduce the cost of governance and campaigns, unite the country, ensure a smooth transition, and promote continuous development. The proposal also aims to tackle issues like nepotism, state capture, and corruption in elections.
The lawmakers also proposed the creation of two Vice President positions. One VP would come from the Southern region and the other from the Northern region of the country. The first VP would be a Succession VP, ready to take over if the President is incapacitated. The second VP would be a minister in charge of the economy.
Additionally, the group wants to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to ensure all governorship elections are held on the same day. They also proposed rotating executive powers among the six geopolitical zones to ensure equal representation and reduce the agitation for state creation.
Other proposals include giving financial autonomy and accountability to Local Government Councils by creating an independent Consolidated Local Government Council Account. They also suggested long-term imprisonment for anyone misusing Local Government funds.
The idea of a six-year single tenure for political office holders has been discussed before. Opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi supported this idea after losing the 2023 presidential election to Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.
In the past, both the Senate and the House of Representatives rejected similar bills for a single term for political office holders.
