The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill through the first reading that proposes a single six-year term for the President, State Governors, and Local Government Area Councils. This bill aims to reduce government spending, increase efficiency, and promote national stability.

Sponsored by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), along with 50 other lawmakers, the bill seeks to amend sections 7, 135, 137, 180, and 182 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.

Key amendments include:

• Section 7: A new subsection mandating that Local Government Chairmen serve a single six-year term.
• Section 135: Replacing “four” with “six” to reflect the new term length for the President. Provisions include accounting for time served in cases of re-run elections and extending terms during wartime.
• Section 137: Deleting paragraph (b) to align with the new term limits.
• Section 180: Adjusting term lengths for State Governors to six years, including wartime extensions.
• Section 182 (1): Deleting and renumbering paragraph (b) for consistency with the new terms.

The bill, cited as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As amended) (Alteration) Bill 2024, aims to streamline governance by limiting officeholders to a single, non-renewable six-year term.