Kenneth Eze (APC-Ebonyi) has called for a nationwide discussion on changing Nigeria’s current two-term, four-year presidential system to a single 16-year tenure.
The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, spoke on Monday while meeting journalists at his Ohigbo-Amagu country home in Ezza South LGA.
He said frequent elections disrupt government plans and slow down national development.
“Every four years, we return to campaign mode. By the third year, governance slows as attention shifts to re-election; that is why projects are abandoned, and policies are not allowed to mature,” Mr Eze said.
“Nigeria’s constitution provides for a four-year presidential term, renewable once, but if you ask me, I will advocate one tenure of 16 years. It sounds controversial, but it will allow policies to run their full course and stabilise the system,” he added.
Mr Eze proposed ending the two-term system in favour of a single long tenure, which he said would free leaders from election pressures and give them room to implement long-term reforms.
He noted that critical areas like power, infrastructure, agriculture, and fiscal reform need continuous attention beyond short political cycles.
“Irrigation schemes, mechanised farming programmes, and energy reforms demand continuity to yield a measurable impact,” he said, defending recent economic steps such as the removal of the fuel subsidy. “We were borrowing to pay salaries. That is not sustainable for any country; tough decisions are necessary to secure long-term stability.”
Mr Eze stressed that his idea is a conversation about governance, not an attack on democracy. He called for a national debate on constitutional reform to see if longer tenures could improve policy delivery while keeping checks and balances.
He acknowledged that any change would need the approval of the National Assembly and ratification by state legislatures, but insisted the process must be open and participatory.
Beyond tenure reform, Mr Eze urged citizens to show civic responsibility and patriotism. He challenged journalists, teachers, civil servants, and parents to uphold national values, saying policy changes alone cannot transform the country.
