Reps Reject Bill Proposing Six-Year Single Term, Zonal Rotation for Elected Offices

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The House of Representatives has rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that sought to introduce a single six-year term for the president, governors, and local government chairmen across Nigeria.

The bill, sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo) and 33 co-sponsors, also proposed a rotational system for presidential and governorship elections, based on Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

On Thursday, November 21, 2024, lawmakers overwhelmingly voted against the bill, which aimed to amend key sections of the 1999 Constitution, including Sections 76, 116, 132, and 136.

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The bill would have introduced significant changes, such as rotating the presidency and governorship between the North and South regions every six years.

It also called for all elections—including those for president, governors, National Assembly, and local government councils—to be held on the same day.

One of the key provisions of the bill sought to alter Section 132 of the Constitution, stipulating that presidential elections would rotate every six years between the North and South regions.

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The bill also proposed a mid-term performance review for governors, with the possibility of impeachment if the State House of Assembly deemed the governor’s performance unsatisfactory after three years in office.

However, despite the bill’s broad ambitions to reshape the country’s political landscape, the House rejected it after refusing to allow the bill’s sponsor to lead the debate.

The proposed amendments were seen by many as a controversial and ambitious restructuring of Nigeria’s political system, which some argued could lead to more equitable political representation, while others feared it might lead to political instability.