Bamidele to Push Single Six-Year Term Bill for President, Governors

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has revealed his plan to introduce constitutional amendment legislation that would transform the tenure structure for Nigeria's President and state Governors. Instead of the current two consecutive four-year terms, the new framework would institute a single six-year mandate.

Speaking during an interview in Abuja, Bamidele noted this bill would be among the first presented to the 11th National Assembly upon its inauguration following the 2027 general elections. The rationale behind this initiative focuses on enhancing governance performance.

Bamidele maintains that Nigeria's present two-term system pressures elected leaders into launching re-election campaigns beginning midway through their first term, diverting both attention and resources from core governance functions. A lone extended term, he asserts, would enable officeholders to concentrate exclusively on policy priorities without juggling the simultaneous demands of electoral mobilization.

This proposal forms part of a larger reform agenda addressing constitutional and political modernization that Bamidele has articulated. Through recent discussions, the Senate Leader has also examined other governance priorities: security challenges, enhancing transparency within legislatures, performance metrics from the 10th Senate, and fiscal mechanisms administered by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

Adopting a six-year single tenure would represent a fundamental departure from Nigeria's presidential framework, which has operated under a two-term model since 1999's return to democracy. Enacting constitutional changes at this scale would require substantial legislative support and widespread agreement from key institutional actors.

Any such modification would commence following the 2027 elections, when newly elected legislators assume their positions.