Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde used his Eid-el-Kabir address to propose a constitutional amendment for a single five or six-year term for governors, citing distractions of re-election campaigns hindering governance
Makinde Single Term proposal for Nigerian governors has emerged from Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who on Friday advocated for a constitutional amendment to introduce a single term of five or six years.
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He made this significant suggestion during an Eid-el-Kabir visit from Muslim faithful, including clerics, traditional rulers, and political office holders, at his Ikolaba, Ibadan residence, shortly after the Eid prayers.
The high-profile delegation, led by Deputy Governor Barr. Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal, included notable figures such as the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Rashidi Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman, Amb. Taofeek Arapaja; and the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Alhaji Dawodu Makanjuola, among others.
Governor Makinde used the occasion to congratulate the Muslim faithful on this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration, expressing gratitude for their prayers, commitment to the state, and unflinching support over his six years in office. He urged them to continue praying for the success of his administration.
The governor elaborated on his reasoning for a single term, reflecting on his own tenure. “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,” he stated. “We lost almost one year, campaigning all over the place for the second tenure.
Now, people have started distracting us on 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.”
Makinde argued that removing the “distractions” of re-election bids would allow governments to genuinely focus on serving the people and delivering on their mandates.
“That is why I feel 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,” he posited.
He stressed the data-driven nature of his suggestion, asserting, “Well, we shouldn’t be afraid to say the fact based on data that is available to us. It has nothing to do with me.
If they say I should end it, so be it.” Makinde further noted that the idea has previously been brought to the attention of the National Assembly, suggesting it is “a model that should work for this country.”
Delivering the message from the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, Oba Ladoja called for continued support for the government and offered prayers for Makinde’s administration to achieve further success.
Deputy Governor Barr. Lawal, speaking to journalists after the Eid prayer, urged the Muslim Ummah to embody the valuable lessons of obedience, trust, and true sacrifice taught by the Holy Quran.
He also commended Governor Makinde’s commitment to the welfare of Oyo State workers and residents through prompt salary payments, calling for greater cooperation to ensure the further delivery of democracy’s dividends.
Professor Kamil Oloso offered special prayers for Governor Makinde, wishing his administration more successes and conveying the Muslim community’s appreciation for his unwavering support. The delegation also included other key government officials and political figures.
