Olanipekun: Six-year Single Term System Will Stabilise Nigeria

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

Legal icon and elder statesman, Chief Wole Olanipekun, (SAN), has recommended that a six-year single term is the best to stabilize Nigeria and resolve geopolitical agitation and marginalization if properly structured.

It could be recalled that bill seeking the six-year single term for president, and governor was sponsored by Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere from Imo State and 33 other lawmakers.

They proposed a six-year term for governors and rotation of executive powers among the six geopolitical zones to “ensure equal representation and reduce the desperation and tempo of agitation for the creation of state”.

In addition, the bill sought to amend the Constitution to create the offices of two vice presidents from the southern and northern parts of Nigeria.

The 1st Vice President shall be a succession vice president, while the 2nd Vice President shall be a minister in charge of the economy. Both vice presidents shall be ministers.

Legal icon and elder statesman, Olanipekun,  (SAN), who is the sponsor of the twin projects, spoke in Ikere-Ekiti, headquarters of Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State, his country home, during the weekend at the 28th Scholarship Award Scheme, and 5th Empowerment Programme of the annual event where a total of 4,219 Nigerians benefited from the Wole Olanipekun’s scholarship, and empowerment programmes, in 28 years.

Olanipekun said: “When I was the president of NBA, 2002-2004, we originated it. It was one of the proposals we brought to Obasanjo as president but he rejected it.

“The proposal was beautifully crafted and the plan was to stabilise the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we suggested a single term of five or six years for presidents.

“We suggested that since there are six geo-political zones in Nigeria, if the President comes from the southwest, there will be six Vice Presidents but those VPs must have a portfolio like ministry of Justice, education, Defence, FCT, Works.

“A geopolitical zone that has a Vice President of education will not have a minister of education. We read it out for him and if per adventure, the president of a geo-political zone whether impeached or dies in office, the Vice President from his geo-political zone will complete his tenure.”

The legal icon therefore proposed a constitutional review that would stabilize the system and correct all the abnormalities in Nigeria constitution.

“We would have stabilized the system but it didn’t work. I am still on the view that we have to do something about the constitution; we have to look into it. The constitution to me is not federal; it does not reflect what we have on ground as people of Nigeria, within the context of Nigeria.

We should have a constitution that is homegrown; no constitution is perfect but we can’t be going on with an imperfect constitution. It’s just a house with no good foundation and something has to be done to it. I am still of the view that we have to do something about our constitution and we have to look into it.

His words: “The current Nigeria constitution to me is not federal, the constitution to me does not reflect what we have on ground as Nigeria, as people of Nigeria, as the content of Nigeria as the context of Nigeria.

“We deserve a constitution that is home grown No constitution is perfect, but then we cannot be going on with an imperfect constitution. Amending, amending, amending and amending, just like a house that does not have a good foundation. I believe that some has to be done about that constitution”.