Politics Has Become a Way of Avoiding Retirement

Analyst also criticised the tendency of former governors and other political office holders to continue moving from one elective position to another.

He drew a comparison with traditional leadership structures in Africa, where traditional rulers can remain leaders of their communities for life, arguing that some politicians appear to have adopted a similar mindset within democratic politics.

According to him, while executive positions such as governor and president are constitutionally limited by tenure, legislative positions do not impose the same lifetime restriction on the number of times an individual can seek election.

He cited former governors who repeatedly return to the Senate as examples of politicians who can remain influential in public office for extended periods if they retain the support of their political parties and electorate.

But he cautioned that the pursuit of continued political office must not come at the expense of governance.

The discussion also touched on the financial implications of former governors moving into the Senate.

Ajomola explained that where a former governor subsequently becomes a senator, the individual cannot simultaneously draw salaries from both the state and federal governments for the two offices.

He noted that the former governor would receive the remuneration attached to the Senate while serving as a senator, with the applicable former-governor benefits becoming relevant again after leaving the Senate, depending on the laws governing the state.

However, he questioned whether such arrangements remain justifiable given Nigeria's financial challenges and the cost of maintaining former public officials.

Ajomola further criticised governors who begin preparing for another political office long before completing their current tenure.

He referenced the political controversy involving former Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, who faced criticism over allegations that his political ambitions were distracting him from his responsibilities as deputy governor.

The analyst argued that elected executives should devote the full duration of their tenure to governance rather than spending significant portions of their time positioning themselves for their next political office.

According to him, the problem goes beyond legality and enters the realm of public accountability.

He said politicians frequently begin preparing for another election after only about two years in office, leaving citizens with an administration that may spend a substantial portion of its tenure focused on political succession rather than development.

“It is a gross disservice to the people.”

He argued that the four-year electoral cycle was designed around the expectation that an elected government should be capable of delivering tangible results within its mandate.