Photo File: Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has proposed a single term of five or six years for elected political office holders at all levels of government in Nigeria, arguing that it would reduce distractions and improve governance.

Makinde made the suggestion on Friday while hosting Muslim faithful, traditional rulers, and political office holders at his Ikolaba private residence in Ibadan, the state capital, after the Eid-El-Kabir prayers.

Leading the delegation was the State Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal. Others present included the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja; former state Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman, Taofeek Arapaja; former deputy governors Hazeem Gbolarumi and Hamid Gbadamosi; member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Abass Adigun Agboworin; and Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Dawodu Makanjuola.

Addressing the gathering, Makinde explained that a single term would allow governments to focus on delivering their mandate without the distractions of re-election campaigns. He called for a constitutional amendment to implement the change.

“First, let me use this opportunity to say Barka Da Sallah to our Muslim faithful, and we shall have the opportunity to celebrate many more by the grace of God.

“I was just looking at the trajectory for me in government. I have spent six years already, and due to no fault of anybody, we lost the year 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We lost almost one year, campaigning all over the place for the second tenure. Now, people have started distracting us from what I want to do next and all of that. So, I feel that, effectively, the time we can say we are very serious with governance is just about five out of the eight years.

“That is why I feel that if you remove all these distractions, a single tenure of five or six years is actually enough to focus and do the work that we are trying to do in eight years.

“Well, we shouldn’t be afraid to say the fact based on the data that is available to us. It has nothing to do with me. If they say I should end it, so be it.

“So, I am just calling the attention of our people to this because it is a constitutional issue. We should start looking at it. I know that it has been brought to the attention of the National Assembly, but, quite frankly, it is a model that should work for this country.”

Makinde acknowledged that discussions on the issue had been raised in the National Assembly and encouraged further debate, stating that such a model could work well for the country.

Speaking on behalf of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, the Otun Olubadan, Oba Ladoja, expressed support for the Makinde administration and prayed for its continued success.

He commended the governor for his commitment to workers’ welfare, particularly the prompt payment of salaries, and urged citizens to cooperate with the government to further enjoy the dividends of democracy.