In an interview on Arise TV, Kenneth Okonkwo, a prominent lawyer and former spokesman for the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, has expressed support for Peter Obi’s commitment to a single term if elected in 2027. He argues that a one-term presidency would reduce the politicization of Nigeria, which he believes leads to division and manipulation by elites. According to Okonkwo, if presidents serve only one term, issues like the appointment of the INEC chairman would resolve themselves, as no president would oversee their own election.
He emphasizes that a one-term system would ensure the rotation of power between the North and South without the risk of constitutional breaches. Okonkwo believes this structure would encourage presidents to focus on legacy rather than political maneuvering, making them more likely to endorse electoral reforms. He argues that one six-year term is preferable to the current two terms of eight years, as it would lead to cleaner elections and a stronger economy.
In his words, “From day one in 1999, I have supported a one-term presidency and one-term executive tenure, and the reason is very clear: the issue of two terms has introduced a lot of politicization in Nigeria, which leads to division and balkanization, allowing elites to manipulate the followership with religious and ethnic vitriol that is non-existent among them.
“The reason is this: all these issues about whether the president should appoint the INEC chairman will disappear when we have a one-term presidency. No president will be able to appoint any INEC chairman who will supervise his own election. If you serve eight years in two terms, you don’t have two years for yourself as president because you’ll be occupied with politicking. Eventually, you will spend state resources, time, and the bureaucracy on politics.
“A one-term presidency will first and foremost secure the issue of rotation between North and South. You cannot make it constitutional, and it will not be breached because you will only have one term. When it is one term of six years, you have nothing to lose compared to two terms of eight years. From the moment you settle in, it is about legacy.
“Haven’t you noticed that every president in power is always reluctant to sign electoral reforms in their first term? The reason is that they want to use the existing electoral act to rig their own election. When they win a second time and have no further attempts to contest, they are unwilling to sign electoral acts or constitutional amendments that would move us forward. But with a one-term presidency, the incoming president would be willing and bold enough to sign every legacy legal reform that could have made us a superpower by now.
“Honestly, we don’t need two terms of eight years. A one-term presidency of six years would be ideal. I have supported this since 1999 and have written articles about it. It’s quite unfortunate that, since we don’t have free and fair elections, this is another way to push us closer to that goal. No president will want their legacy to be tarnished internationally or nationally as an election rigger. If they are not overseeing their own election, our elections will become cleaner, and our economy will grow stronger.
