Follow Us on Google
From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, Senator Kenneth Eze has denied proposing a 16-year single tenure for president and other elected political office holders in the country.
There has been some reports circulating in the media that Eze who represents Ebonyi central zone, proposed the 16-year single tenure for the elected political office holders.
But Eze in a statement signed by Kizito Nwankwo his Senior Legislative Aide, said at no time did he propose such tenure for the political office holders.
He opined that he did not submit, or formally propose a constitutional amendment seeking to introduce a 16-year single tenure for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any other elected political office holder.
Eze said the remarks attributed to him were made during a broader intellectual discourse on governance stability, policy continuity, and the perennial distractions caused by prolonged electioneering cycles.
“The attention of the media team of Senator Engr. Kenneth Emeka Eze, Senator representing Ebonyi Central Senatorial District, has been drawn to a trending publication alleging that he proposed a “single 16-year tenure for elected political officeholders in Nigeria.
“Ordinarily, such a sensational claim would not deserve a response. However, in view of the potential for misinterpretation and the deliberate attempt to misrepresent his position, it has become necessary to set the records straight.
“At no time did Senator Eze sponsor, submit, or formally propose a constitutional amendment seeking to introduce a 16-year single tenure for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any other elected political officeholder.
Other News
“The remarks attributed to him were made during a broader intellectual discourse on governance stability, policy continuity, and the perennial distractions caused by prolonged electioneering cycles.
“Like many scholars and policymakers who occasionally interrogate constitutional models across the world, Senator Eze merely referenced a theoretical governance framework during a conversation on how to deepen policy implementation and reduce the culture of abandoned projects.
“His comments were exploratory and comparative in nature, not a legislative proposal, not a motion before the Senate, and certainly not a campaign for tenure elongation.
“It is instructive to note that Nigeria operates under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which clearly provides for a four-year tenure for elected public officials renewable once. Senator Eze remains a firm believer in constitutional democracy, the rule of law, separation of powers, and periodic electoral accountability as foundational pillars of our Republic.
“To extract a fragment of a broader intellectual discussion and present it as a concrete legislative agenda is both misleading and unfair. Public policy conversations often involve examining multiple models; parliamentary systems, single-term presidencies, hybrid frameworks, and other democratic experiments across jurisdictions. Such discourse should not be weaponized for political sensationalism.
“Senator Eze’s commitment has always been to good governance, institutional strengthening, and the long-term stability of Nigeria, not the personalization or elongation of power. As a legislator, his focus remains on laws and reforms that directly improve the welfare of Nigerians and strengthen democratic institutions.
“We therefore urge media practitioners and commentators to uphold the highest standards of responsible journalism by presenting statements in their proper context and avoiding distortions capable of igniting unnecessary controversy.
Senator Engr. Kenneth Emeka Eze remains steadfast in his dedication to Nigeria’s democratic growth and constitutional order”, he said
