Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Jibrin Okutepa, has called for urgent legislation to stop Nigerian politicians from remaining in public office indefinitely, warning that many have turned politics into a lifelong personal enterprise rather than a platform for service.
Okutepa, in a statement posted on his X account Friday, lamented what he described as the culture of “perpetual political office holders,” accusing many politicians of moving from one office to another without meaningful contributions to governance or national development.
According to him, many politicians have made political offices their “personal and permanent rights” and their only source of livelihood.
“There is a need for us to have laws in Nigeria to prevent people from continuing holding onto political offices in perpetuity,” he said.
“Most Nigerian politicians have made politics and political offices their personal and permanent rights and their only means of survival and occupations. They move from one position to another and in most cases these permanent position holders have nothing to show for it.”
He argued that several former governors who performed poorly in office still seek fresh political appointments and elective positions instead of stepping aside.
“As governors most of them performed very poorly. Yet like fish, these politicians cannot stay out of the waters of politics,” he stated.
“They have their hands and legs everywhere. Most of them have nothing to show for their years of perpetuity in holding different positions in government except unexplained wealth and corruption and corrupt influences that only benefit themselves and their families.”
The legal practitioner further accused such politicians of deepening poverty and institutionalizing corruption across the country.
“Nigerians are the worse for these unproductive politicians who have been perpetuating themselves on Nigerians and have sown seeds of political corruption and prostitution in democratic rascality.
“Their experiences in governance only benefit them and worsen the poverty of the people.”
Okutepa cited examples of politicians who move from councillor to local government chairman, to commissioner, governor, vice president, and even president without any break, describing the trend as unhealthy for democracy.
“Some of these politicians started as councillors and from there to local government chairmen, to commissioners, to governors, to vice president and then presidents without a break,” he said.
“The only jobs and occupation and industries most of these politicians have and have been clinging unto is moving from one political party to another and political offices to another with zero political accountability and effective leadership in governance.”
He also criticized former governors who return to the National Assembly after leaving office, describing some of them as ineffective lawmakers.
“Some after being governors returned to senate as of right. Some of them are just deadwood in the art of legislature and legislating. Some just sleep while serious legislative businesses are going on,” he said.
According to him, the National Assembly is now dominated by former governors and ministers who should have exited active politics long ago.
“Today the Nigerian National Assembly is full of former governors and former ministers. If it were possible maybe some former presidents may even want to become members of the National Assembly,” he added.
To address the trend, Okutepa proposed a constitutional or legislative restriction that would bar former governors and other major office holders from immediately seeking another political office after completing their tenure.
“I will suggest that if anyone, for instance, was elected or selected a governor of a state and spends two terms of eight years, such a person should not be elected or appointed to another political position or office for the next five years,” he said.
He stressed that such reforms would create opportunities for younger Nigerians and other qualified citizens to contribute to governance.
“Let us give some other Nigerians opportunities to contribute to the growth and development of Nigeria and Nigerian democracy,” he stated.
“There should be age for retirement from politics. There should be time limits to the offices politicians are supposed to be elected to and to serve in politics. No Nigerian politician should remain in politics in perpetuity. Enough of this rubbish.”
