Obi Suggests One Five-Year Term for Each Zone for Presidency

Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) candidate in the February 2023 presidential election, has suggested a five-year single term for the president, rotating among the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

He made this proposal at a press conference in Abuja, two weeks after the Supreme Court upheld the election of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on February 25, 2023.

He was reacting to the proposal of Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the same election, who had called for a constitutional amendment to create a six-year single term for the president.

Obi said he did not agree with the six-year term idea but rather supported a five-year term with a 30-year rotation system.

He argued that such a change in the constitution would create a more effective and efficient framework for Nigeria, which would include a single-term system.

“I appreciate (former) Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his stance and his dedication to making things better in Nigeria, but I have a slight difference,” he said.

“I would prefer a five-year term, which would last for 30 years of rotation—for a five-year term.”

The 62-year-old also recommended the adoption of a quasi-system that would allow the leaders in power to be part of the legislature as well.

He also said there should be a way for the leaders to be accountable to the public through regular question-and-answer sessions.

“And I will still advocate for one thing: if we cannot revert to the parliamentary democracy system, we must have a quasi-system that will enable our elected leaders, whether prime minister or president, to participate in the legislature, especially to answer questions,” he said.

“Maybe a presidential question or prime minister question, instead of employing proxies. We want to hear from the people we elected now, and that is vital. We cannot continue with this way where we are now, where people have delegated leadership.”