The Chancellor of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, Osita Chidoka, has called for the adoption of a single-term presidency in Nigeria, arguing that the country’s current two-term system fuels perpetual electioneering and distracts leaders from the core task of governance.
Chidoka made the call on January 22, 2026, while speaking at the Nigeria Leadership Series virtual town hall organised by the Africa Leadership Group (ALG). The session, themed “Nigeria, 2026 and Beyond,” was hosted by ALG President, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo.
Drawing lessons from countries such as Mexico, which operates a constitutionally entrenched single-term presidency, Chidoka argued that Nigeria’s extended election cycle compresses reform windows, weakens policy continuity, and undermines institutional performance.
“Nigeria has effectively erased 2026 from its calendar, while all eyes are on 2027,” Chidoka said. “Yet life does not pause for elections. Children will still sit for WAEC and JAMB. People will still go to hospitals. Insecurity will either deepen or abate. Governance must serve citizens every year, not just in election seasons.”
In a wide-ranging presentation, the Athena Centre Chancellor identified three major structural constraints impeding Nigeria’s progress: weak systems that depend excessively on individual morality rather than institutional design; the politics of emotion, which replaces evidence-based policymaking with sentiment and spectacle; and a growing trust deficit between citizens and the state, particularly among young Nigerians who increasingly feel their future has been compromised.
He cautioned that relying on good intentions without strong institutions is unsustainable.
“Morality without strong systems breeds frustration,” Chidoka warned, stressing that personal integrity alone cannot replace institutions capable of delivering consistent results across administrations.
Outlining governance priorities for 2026, Chidoka urged Nigeria to treat security as a systemic challenge rather than a political slogan, deepen economic reforms beyond optics, and refocus human capital development on accountability and measurable outcomes. He also criticised the persistent mismatch between budgetary allocations and government action, calling for tighter alignment between public spending and the country’s most urgent needs.
Describing himself as an Afro-optimist, Chidoka expressed confidence in Nigeria’s potential if governance is aligned with the country’s creative energy.
“If Nigeria follows the true spirit of Naija—that space where our creativity is unlocked—we can move from a mere geographic expression to an expression of geography, where no one is oppressed,” he said.
Participants at the session commended Chidoka for the clarity and depth of his interventions, particularly his call for citizens to demand accountable and evidence-driven governance. He concluded by urging Nigerians not to disengage from public discourse, stressing that sustained civic accountability is critical to rebuilding trust and national direction.
“Governance,” Chidoka said, “must be backed by evidence.”
The Africa Leadership Group is a non-profit organisation focused on developing ethical, competent and visionary leaders across Africa through leadership forums, policy dialogues and civic engagement platforms such as the Nigeria Leadership Series. The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership is an independent, non-partisan think tank committed to advancing evidence-based policy, effective governance and leadership transformation in Nigeria and across the continent.
