The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NiDO)-Worldwide has urged African leaders to reaffirm their commitment to constitutional presidential term limits as a safeguard against prolonged rule and democratic backsliding.
The organisation’s Coordinating Chairman, Worldwide, Mr Chibuzo Ubochi, made the appeal during a telephone interaction in Abuja, warning that the growing culture of tenure elongation threatens democratic stability across the continent.
Ubochi, who also serves as Chairman of NiDO-Europe, called on the African Union and regional blocs to respond firmly to unconstitutional tenure extensions, stressing that such actions should be treated with the same gravity as military takeovers.
He described the “sit-tight” culture adopted by some African leaders as a disturbing trend, noting that it often involves deliberate manipulation of national constitutions to retain power.
According to him, the extension of constitutional tenure by public officials beyond their original mandate weakens governance institutions and undermines democratic norms.
Ubochi said the sit-tight syndrome erodes public trust, fuels political instability, shrinks civic space, and is frequently associated with corruption and human rights abuses.
He added that the practice ultimately deprives nations of renewal, innovation, and accountable leadership.
The NiDO leader stressed that African countries must recommit to clear, non-extendable presidential term limits supported by enforcement mechanisms and meaningful consequences for violations.
He noted that where term limits are respected, the quality of democracy improves and peaceful transfers of power become standard practice rather than rare occurrences.
Ubochi reiterated that continental and regional bodies must apply political and economic sanctions consistently, arguing that democracy cannot condemn coups carried out with weapons while tolerating those achieved through legal manipulation.
He also emphasised the importance of transparent voter registration processes, open results-management systems, and credible domestic and international election observation, including structured participation by citizens in the diaspora.
According to him, elections should serve as genuine avenues for leadership selection and not ceremonial exercises.
Ubochi further advocated legal reforms to accommodate independent candidates and enable meaningful diaspora participation through voting rights abroad.
He called for constitutional provisions that recognise dual citizenship and ensure fair access to political contests, stressing that leadership should be earned on merit rather than monopolised by entrenched party structures.
The NiDO chairman noted that unified, non-partisan diaspora platforms demonstrate how citizens exposed to functional democracies can effectively advocate accountability at home.
He also urged African diaspora organisations to collaborate with host governments to protect activists and their families through asylum pathways, emergency visas, and human-rights monitoring.
While acknowledging that fear remains a powerful tool of authoritarianism, Ubochi said it must be confronted through sustained civic education, youth engagement, and ethical leadership development.
He concluded that Africa’s democratic challenges are not inevitable but the result of deliberate constitutional abuse and weak enforcement, adding that firm term limits, transparent elections, and open political competition—supported by active diaspora engagement—remain essential to democratic renewal across the continent.