Single six-year term for president, governors the way to go, Ekweremadu insists

Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on Wednesday, renewed his call for a single six-year term for president and governors in the country.

Ekweremdu posted in his Facebook page that single six-year term for president and governors was the only way to stop desperation in the country’s political system.

He noted that if adopted, the system will substantially reduce the political tensions and executive excesses that come with self-succession.

He said “As is always the case, Nigeria’s political atmosphere is getting toxic ahead of the 2019 general elections and governance is taking a backseat.

“Unfortunately this atmosphere, with the accompanying brazen political excesses, is unlikely to abate until well after the 2019 general elections.

“Unable to resist the temptations that come with enormous power of incumbency, those who call the shots today, throw everything within their reach into the mix in desperate efforts to retain power at all cost and by all means.

“The feverish political climate in the country today, once again, justifies the call by some of us for a single term of five or six years for the President and Governors.

“Although a renewable four-year term is popular, societies are dynamic and it is up to us to make necessary constitutional adjustments to safeguard our democracy and make periods leading up to our elections less toxic.

“For over 150 years, starting from George Washington up to Harry Truman, there was no term limit for presidents of the United States of America.

“In fact, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) served four terms (although he died just 11 weeks into his fourth term).