The House of Representatives has rejected a bill which seeks to provide a single term of six years for president and governors in the country.
According to the bill, there will also be an unlimited tenure of six years for members of the national assembly and state houses of assembly.
However, the bill, which was sponsored by John Dyegh from Benue state, was rejected after it was called up for second reading during plenary on Tuesday.
A lot of lawmakers raised their objection to the bill, stressing that the system being currently operated is good enough.
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However, those who found the bill a good development said it would save the country the funds used to conduct elections every four years.
“This bill intends to also save the money being spent in elections for second term. It will save this country and our democracy,” Sergius Ogun from Edo state argued.
However, Yusuf Gagdi from Plateau state said there is nothing wrong with the current four-year tenure system being operated.
He said in an ideal democracy, “you cannot ask the president to perform six-year tenure and expect a good performance”.
“Our problem is our inability to respect our rules. Our democracy does not need a six-year single term for the executive,” he said.
“What it needs it to maintain what is in place for the executive and national assembly. What we need is to improve our elections and ensure we have a system that will not fail Nigerians.
“It is not the time to say we will amend the tenure of the executive and the national assembly members.”
Haruna Bello from Kano state said the bill will fuel the speculation of tenure extension for President Muhammadu Buhari.
“There is a speculation for tenure extension for the president, bringing this motion now will make our adversaries think this is an attempt to achieve that,” he said.
“By the time you allow the room for six years, you will shut down the door for appraisal of someone’s term after four years. We should maintain our four years.”
When Idris Wase, deputy speaker, who presided over Tuesday’s plenary session, raised it for vote for second reading, it was rejected.
