Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has advocated a single term of five or six years for elected political office holders across all levels of government in Nigeria, as against the current double term of four years each.
Makinde spoke on Friday, when Muslim clerics, traditional rulers and political office holders paid a visit to his Ikolaba, Ibadan residence, shortly after the Eid-el-Kabir prayers, held at the Eid Ground, Agodi, Ibadan.
The delegation, led by the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, included the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja; former deputy governors, Hazeem Gbolarumi and Hamid Gbadamosi; member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon. Abass Adigun Agboworin; and Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, Alhaji Dawodu Makanjuola.
Addressing the delegation, Makinde congratulated the Muslim faithful on witnessing the year 2025 Eid-el-Kabir and thanked them for their prayers and commitment to the state as well as their unflinching support for him and his government over the past six years, urging them to continue praying for the success of his administration.
He noted that a single term of five or six years is enough for any government to focus and serve the people and deliver on its mandate, calling for a constitutional amendment to effect this.
Makinde said the call became imperative in view of his observation of how many years elected officers are able to face the serious business of governance out of a total of 8 years a two term an elected person may spend.
According to the governor, the time used for serious business of governance out of the eight years in most cases don’t go beyond five to six years as out of the 8 years, while about two to three years will be used for electioneering campaign among other political party activities.
Makinde said: “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 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.
“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.
Acknowledging that the call goes beyond his personal interest as some may raise concern that he (Makinde) is raising the call after serving for an eight years tenure, Governor Makinde said he made the call in good fate going by his experience on the job.
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“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.
“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.”
Delivering the message of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Ladoja called for more support for the government and prayed for more success and achievements for Governor Makinde’s administration.
While speaking with newsmen after the Eid prayer, the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Lawal, urged the Muslim Ummah to always exhibit the valuable lessons of obedience, trust and true sacrifice to the will of God, which are the doctrines and lessons taught by the Holy Quran.
He thanked the Governor for his commitment to the welfare of workers and the people of Oyo State through prompt payment of salaries and called for more cooperation from the people of the state so that dividends of democracy would further be delivered.
