The House of Representatives, on Thursday, rejected a proposal that aimed to reduce the tenure of the President and Governors to a single six-year term. The bill, which was sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere and 33 other lawmakers, sought to amend the Nigerian Constitution, specifically targeting the length of political office tenures.
The proposed changes were part of a broader effort to restructure the electoral system, making the election process more efficient and inclusive. Among the key provisions of the bill was the suggestion to have all national and state elections—presidential, gubernatorial, National Assembly, and State House of Assembly elections—held on the same day. The bill also proposed the introduction of zonal rotations for presidential and gubernatorial offices to ensure fairer representation across the country.
In addition, the bill aimed to reduce the wastefulness associated with four-year election cycles by creating a more streamlined, longer tenure for those in office.
Specifically, it suggested amending Section 76 of the Constitution to ensure simultaneous elections for all political offices, to be scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in consultation with the National Assembly.
However, when put to a voice vote during a plenary session, the majority of lawmakers rejected the bill, with the “nays” having it. This rejection marks the second time such a proposal has failed. A similar bill was previously introduced during the Jonathan administration but was also dismissed.
