Former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has formally written to the National Assembly, urging an amendment to the Constitution to introduce a six-year single term for the President and state governors. In a memorandum to the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review, Atiku also advocated for the rotation of the presidency between the North and South to promote national unity and fairness.
Atiku’s proposal echoes a similar stance previously held by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who also pushed for a six-year single term for the President during his presidency. Despite not being adopted then, Atiku has continued to champion this idea, particularly after the 2023 general elections. He argues that a single term of six years could reduce the intense competition for power and enhance the focus on governance.
He stated, “The office of the President shall rotate among the six geopolitical zones of the federation on a single term of six years, flowing between the North and South on the single term of six years respectively.”
Atiku urged the National Assembly to “amend Section 135(2) to read: ‘Subject to the provisions of subsection (1), the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of six years.’”
Additionally, he proposed the “substitution of an aspirant” in Section 285(14)(a) with “a voter.”
The former Vice President also suggested that the minimum educational qualification for a person to run for election should be the Ordinary National Diploma instead of the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. He proposed an amendment to Section 65(2)(a) to read: “He has been educated up to at least Ordinary National Diploma in any recognised academic institution.”
Furthermore, he recommended the insertion of a paragraph in Section 65(2)(a)(i) to read: “Evidence of certificates of all educational qualifications of a candidate shall be submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission or an affidavit by the candidate in the event of loss of his/her educational certificates, qualifications obtained, and dates, stating the schools attended.”
Atiku also advocated for political parties to have more power in the candidate selection process. He proposed an “amendment to Section 65(2)(b) to read: ‘He is a member of a political party whose name is in the register to be made available by his political party to the Independent National Electoral Commission 30 days before the conduct of the political party’s primary and he is sponsored by that party.’’
