By Eunice Orike
In order to address the tenure elongation for elected political office holders in Nigeria, a Professor of International Relations and Strategic Studies at Lagos State University, Adewunmi Falode, has advocated for a review of the constitution to accommodate single 7years tenure
He has therefore urged the Federal Government to amend the constitution to introduce single, non-renewable seven-year tenure for all elected public office holders.
Speaking while delivering the university’s 115th inaugural lecture titled “Bespoke Solutions: Reimagining, Reifying and Realigning the Wheels of the Nigerian State,” at the Buba Marwa Auditorium, Falode said the time is now for the nation to address the long time political tenure structure.
He aligned his position with earlier calls by Governor Seyi Makinde; former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi; economist Pat Utomi; ex-President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Wole Olanipekun (SAN); and former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu , all of whom have advocated for a single-term structure of five to six years.
Falode argued that a seven-year single tenure would provide elected officials with at least four solid years for governance, while the remaining three years would accommodate electioneering activities and the resolution of post-election disputes.
According to him, Nigeria’s current democratic cycle is inefficient and excessively costly.
“Democracy has always been expensive in Nigeria,” “The 1983 federal elections alone gulped N2bn before the military truncated the process.
