Olanipekun Reveals How Obasanjo Rejected Proposal For Single-Term Presidency

Speaking to journalists in his hometown of Ikere Ekiti on Saturday evening, Olanipekun explained that the proposal for a single-term presidency, which was rejected by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, would have contributed to stabilizing the country if it had been accepted.

Reflecting on the NBA’s proposal at the time, Olanipekun stated that Nigeria required a Constitution that took into account the concerns of every geo-political zone. He argued that the Constitution needed a revision to ensure it better served the nation’s needs.

Olanipekun recalled, “When I was NBA President, we proposed the single-term presidency idea to Obasanjo. He rejected it. At the time, we presented it carefully, suggesting a single term of five or six years, unlike the way it is being discussed now. We worked on the proposal, researching and crafting it thoroughly.”

He went on to explain that the proposal included a system where, if a president from a specific geo-political zone served, there would be six vice presidents, each responsible for a specific portfolio, such as Justice, Education, Defence, and others. Olanipekun added that if a president were to be impeached or pass away, the vice president from the same zone would complete the term, after which the presidency would rotate to the next geo-political zone.

He concluded, “I still believe that we need to address this part of the Constitution. It no longer reflects the true nature of Nigeria. We need a Constitution that is designed for us, one that we can call our own. No Constitution is perfect, but we cannot continue to amend an imperfect one.”