A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Yusuf Ali, has called for the adoption of a six-year single term for the offices of the President and state governors in the country.
Ali disclosed this in Ifetedo, Osun State, on Friday, at the inauguration of the remodeled Central Mosque for the town, a project he financed.
The legal practitioner said the adoption of a six-year term of office for the offices of the president and state governors would not only end self-succession while serving the first term but would also prevent fights that usually characterise relationships among politicians.
He noted that a six-year single term of office remains a good option for Nigeria’s political system, lamenting that lack of character has also affected negatively governance in the country.
He said, “I have always been an advocate that a single six-year tenure is good for our system. It would stop the fight for self-succession after the first four years. You will know that once you spend your six years, you are out of the place and there will be peace relatively.”
Speaking further, Ali said Nigeria’s Constitution has enough provisions to deal with bad leadership, but blamed challenges the country is facing operating the law on lack of character.
“There are provisions in the law that can deal with an inept leadership. There is provision in the constitution for impeachment but whether you abuse it or use it wisely is a different thing.
“The system is self-cleansing, but only if we have character. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have character, and you need character for a system to work well.
“However, if Nigerians don’t change their attitudes, nothing will take us to any Eldorado. We must first of all agree on that,” Ali said.
Speaking on why he embarked on the remodeling of the mosque, Ali said the project was a response to the divine call.
He said, “What pushed me to remodel the central mosque is the call of Allah. Nigerians should be their brother’s keeper. Those whom Allah has endowed should try and bless others.
“Once you die, you are not going to take anything. It is in our interest to invest in people, institutions, communities, and humanity. That’s the only way to go.”
In his goodwill message to the Ifetedo community at the event, the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, said the mosque should serve as a place that would contribute to the development of Islam.
He said, “It is not a place that would be locked. Apart from praying there, it should be used for other developmental engagements.”
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