The reason for the one-term proposal, according to the president, is to reduce the tension created by incumbents seeking re-election as well as bring down electoral expenses. He also said he was not going to be a beneficiary—reiterating what he had said that he would do only one term, meaning he would forfeit his right to a second term in 2015. My initial response to the proposal was: how would this work out? If Jonathan willingly gives up his right to go for a second term in 2015, what happens to the governors who would like to go for second term? Will the amendment be done in a way to preclude these governors? Will that be fair to them? After all, Jonathan is the one who says he is not interested in a second term. Those were my initial thoughts.

There are some points I would like to quickly raise here. One, I do not believe that the problems of elections in Nigeria start and end with the tenure of the chief executives. The president’s argument that when an incumbent is running, there is hardly any space for a free and fair election is valid—but he also has to reckon with the fact that when an incumbent wants to install his successor by any means, the election can equally acrimonious. There are several instances I can cite here—I may even call to mind the President Olusegun Obasanjo/Vice-President Atiku Abubakar face-off before the 2007 elections. On the surface, an incumbent not running would look like a level-playing filed, but when a sitting governor/president deploys all resources—financial, personnel and material—in order to install his successor, the election can be deadly.

Two, Jonathan spoke about electoral expenses. If elections are held at longer intervals, he suggested, expenses would be less. Again, I differ on this. I agree that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would not have to spend more (for instance, a six-year gap means there would be two elections in 12 years instead of three at four-year intervals). However, it does not mean politicians would spend less. Six years would actually allow an incumbent to build up heavier war chest to install his successor. Nevertheless, I agree with the president that INEC expenses need to come down, but this can be done some other way. We don’t need to be buying DDC machines every election time. That is a major component of the budget.

I must conclude, however, by saying I do not see one term or two terms as the problem with us. We have a deeper problem. If there is accountability, leaders will be more responsible when they get into office. If votes actually count, governance will improve considerably. Nigerians can vote out bad leaders every four years. If they are so impressed with their leaders, they can vote them in for another four years. That is how democracy works. Acrimony and violence at election times are caused by desperation on the part of politicians and their supporters. If we play our politics the right way, it wouldn’t matter how many terms a leader is spending.

ABRIDGED VERSION OF SIMON KOLAWOLE'S ARTICLE TITLED:Debating ‘Single Term’ with Decorum published in Thisday of 31st JULY 2011