IN Africa, despotism begins with little, innocuous steps like changing term limits midstream. So, a proposed bill by Opeyemi Bamidele for a single six-year term for the President and governors in the 11th National Assembly might seem altruistic at the moment. But in a country which once witnessed a scheme for a third term and where democracy is very weak, this is a dangerous idea.
“One of the first set of bills that I look forward to moving, by God’s grace, when we come back for the 11th Senate, God willing, is for a bill that will only make it possible for anyone who wants to be president of this country, or governor in any part of this country, to spend only one term of six years,” says the Senate Majority Leader.
On the surface, Bamidele’s reasons are logical. He explains that the executives waste “almost one and a half years of your first term thinking and struggling and looking forward to how you’ll be re-elected”. He believes a single non-renewable six-year term will fix the problem.
However, this is not a silver bullet. Nigeria’s failings are structural and are far deeper than legislating a six-year tenure.
In addition, this changes the goalposts in the middle of a game. It is not right.
