Olanipekun Reveals How Obasanjo Turned Down Single-Term Presidency

Olanipekun Reveals How Obasanjo Turned Down Single-Term PresidencyWole Olanipekun (SAN), former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has revealed that the single-term presidency proposal, which was rejected by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, could have helped stabilize Nigeria if it had been implemented.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking to journalists in his hometown of Ikere Ekiti on Saturday evening, Olanipekun explained that the proposal was part of an effort to create a more balanced and inclusive Nigerian Constitution that would consider the interests of all geopolitical zones.

Olanipekun, who played a key role in the NBA’s recommendation, shared that during his tenure as NBA President, they suggested a single-term presidency of five or six years as a means of stabilizing the country. He explained that the idea was well-researched and thought out, in contrast to the current debate around the issue.

“We presented it to President Obasanjo at the time, saying, ‘Mr. President, for us to stabilize this Republic, let’s experiment with this.’ We proposed a single term for the President and laid out a plan where six vice presidents, each from a different geopolitical zone, would hold key portfolios such as Attorney General, Education, Defense, Federal Capital Territory, and Works,” Olanipekun recalled.

He added that under the proposal, a geopolitical zone with a vice president in charge of Education would not have a separate Minister of Education, ensuring that roles were carefully distributed. The system would have also ensured that if a president from a particular zone were impeached or passed away, the vice president from that same zone would complete the term, with the presidency rotating to the next zone after each tenure.

Despite the detailed planning, Obasanjo rejected the proposal, and Olanipekun believes that the country still needs a constitution that reflects its unique realities. He emphasized that the current constitution does not adequately capture Nigeria’s complex and diverse makeup, advocating for a “home-grown” constitution that can address the country’s needs more effectively.

“I still believe something needs to be done to amend the Constitution to better represent our current situation. No constitution is perfect, but we cannot continue making amendments without fundamentally addressing its shortcomings,” Olanipekun concluded.

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