ABUJA, June 9, 2026 — Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele says he plans to sponsor a bill seeking a single six-year tenure for the President and state governors after the 2027 general elections. The proposal would scrap re-election and amend Sections 135, 137, 180, and 182 of the 1999 Constitution to limit the President, governors, and local government chairmen to one term of six years only.
Bamidele said Tuesday the bill is meant to end distractions from second-term campaigns. He argued that officeholders waste nearly one and a half years of their first term preparing for re-election, and that with one six-year term, leaders would “put in your best from day one” knowing it’s their only chance.
The bill will be among the first he introduces when the 11th Senate is inaugurated after 2027 and would not affect current officeholders or the 2027 polls. A similar bill sponsored by Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere passed first reading in the House but was rejected in November 2024. Bamidele acknowledged the proposal may not have universal support but said lawmakers must initiate reforms to strengthen governance. The bill must still pass both chambers and 24 state assemblies to become law.
