Are third terms a good idea?

As Nigeria's parliament prepares to debate changing the constitution to allow President Olusegun Obasanjo to contest elections next year, should African presidents be running for third terms?

A proposed constitutional amendment which would allow the Nigerian president to serve more than two terms is dominating political debate in Nigeria.

It has led to an open confrontation between President Obasanjo and Vice-President Atiku Abubakar who opposes the change.

What would Nigeria gain or lose from an Obasanjo third term? Why have so many African leaders tried to push for a third term? Are third terms necessarily a bad thing for democracy?

This debate is now closed. Thank you for your comments.

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Your comments:

It is high time we concentrated on what 'works' for Nigeria and not what looks good in the eyes of the world community Tam Gbesh, Birmingham, UK

It is high time we concentrated on what 'works' for Nigeria and not what looks good in the eyes of the world community. Looking at the contenders for the presidency, I fail to see a better candidate as it stands now. Obasanjo has laid the foundations for economic recovery and growth, and has appointed world class reformists to help him do the job. I fear that all this will be jettisoned if leadership changes to any of the current contenders. It may well be a case of back to square one.

There is nothing wrong with a third term anywhere in the world so far it is done with good intentions. The problem in this case with the Nigerian issue is that most of those anti third term are false distracters who are opportunists who want to rob the Nigerian peoples of proper accountability which Obasanjo offers. The issue of rotation, it is not even the north's turn to go for the presidency, they had it for over 35years and nothing to show for it.
Anonymous

In Gabon and Uganda the first two terms yields marginal results because it is like a football player who has played for 90 minutes of regular time. Duru Emmanuel, Libreville, Gabon

The idea to amend the constitution whether in Nigeria or anywhere in Africa is nonsense. In Gabon and Uganda the first two terms yields marginal results because it is like a football player who has played for 90 minutes of regular time. After this the law of marginal returns what can not be achieved in 8 years can not be achieved in 14 years.
Duru Emmanuel, Libreville, Gabon

I don't see any reason why a president wants to live and die in power. They should take Mandela of South Africa as a good example .Obasanjo should really get his head straight. Nigeria is in a terrible and bad condition and another term in office is not the solution. Nigeria and Nigerians needs proper reforms and a strong, transparent and sincere leader!
Ife Olaleye, Nigerian in Finland

Third term in office is the root of carnage and pillage caused by single tribe government in most African countries, they should give others keys to showcase their powers, because staying in office for long kills the image of good democracy.
Keorapetse Beerane, Shakawe, Botswana

Third term is a bad idea because it encourages our leaders to more mismanagement of our resources.
Muazzam ado Yakasai, Kano Nigeria

My own thinking about this whole third term thing is not healthy for democracy especially in Africa. Is just another mean being designed by politicians to remain in power for life .I would advice President Obasanjo to give it up and allow for others to succeed you. This will even make him one of the models of Africa's democracy as an Ex-President.
Jackson S.G. Parwon, Jr., Monrovia, Liberia

Should the constitution be amended this would guarantee any president 12 consecutive years in office. It would 24 years before any real credible change in leadership can take place. Is this really what Nigerians want or need to move on into the 21st century? I think not.
Isi, London, UK

The only thing bad about third terms is the constitution. Though the constitution provides a 'legal' framework for governing a country, most of the time it's not a 'right framework'. A leader can be very development oriented and hardworking, why then must his plans be halted for the sake of fulfilling paper guidelines? Change for changes sake will never get Africa anywhere. Mandela's act elevated him in the sight of popular opinion; I still believe SA would have gained more from his service as president.
Joshua, Kampala, Uganda

A third term for any president is never a bad idea if the populace gave the president their consent. But in a situation that the president is trying to amend the constitution is unacceptable. The Nigerian president is a hard liner, it will take a lot of uprising in the country and international pressure to dissuade him .Third term is a very bad sign for democracy.
Linus Inyang, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Mandela spent only one term and then vacated for another, where if he wanted to be a life president the whole of South Africa would support him because of what he did for them. I wonder why Obasanjo is trying to hang on there after so many years, for sure he must be afraid of something. That's all I can sum up.
Chinedu Okonkwo, Nigerian in Finland

This third term stuff is a powerful tool to assassinate democracy in Africa. Encouraging third terms are promoting corruption and mismanagement of state fund by unscrupulous leaders. Every new leader has his/her own way of doing things. Amendment of the constitution is depriving other citizens from demonstrating their brilliant ideas to the state. No normal thinking and patriotic African will support the amendment of the constitution for a third term.
Eric Mbumbouh, Bamenda, Cameroon

Third terms are very bad for democracy Yvonne, Hanover

Third terms are very bad for democracy. Greed and fear push our leaders into wanting third terms. They are corrupt and would not want anyone else to take over for fear of being prosecuted. Greed, because they want to continue stealing. If they have good plans for the country, why did they not show them in the first two terms? All the good leaders we have heard of or seen, have either run only one term, or have bowed out after their two terms were over, but still made their impact. When will young blood take over? When they are 70?
Yvonne, Hanover

I do understand completely Nigerians' anxiety about the third term issue, but to be very honest... do we have a choice? Look at the contenders.
Nike, France

Although many can understand the rationale for Obasanjo's desire to return, the fact remains that the constitution was created to ensure succession and offer opportunities to other probably younger people. Sometimes these people feel it is their birthright to stay in power.
Ambrose Nwadike, Amsterdam, Holland

The bane of democracy in Africa, and especially in Nigeria is succession. The problem with the current amendment in Nigeria is the selfish agenda behind it. Obasanjo should give way to fresh minds. He has had it for eleven years.
Oluwasgen Abifarin, Lagos, Nigeria

A third term undermines the sanity of the constitution in Nigeria's case. It reduces the constitution to just any other law that can be amended by the whim of one man. The commencement of a true constitutional culture begins with an understanding that no one is above the law, and that the law cannot swing like a pendulum each season.
Michael, Ottawa, Canada