A former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Navy Captain Tunji Shelle (retd), has said that any president or governor who fails to deliver on campaign promises and performs poorly during a first term in office should not be entitled to a second term.

Speaking with CEOAFRICA on Monday, Shelle argued that re-election should not be treated as an automatic right for incumbents, stressing that doing so would amount to rewarding failure and poor governance.

“I have a completely different opinion on the issue of zoning. While zoning is a way of unifying the country and ensuring equity and fairness between the North and the South, the Constitution recognizes only a four-year term for whoever wins a presidential or governorship election in the first place,” he said.

“My interpretation of the Constitution is that a president or governor who has not performed in the first four years should not be entitled to a second term if the electorate so decides. It cannot be said to be automatic; otherwise, we shall be reinforcing failure and non-performance in office.”

Shelle maintained that the poor performance he attributed to the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari should serve as a lesson for Nigerians ahead of future elections.

“If the immediate past president, the late Muhammadu Buhari, was able to get away with non-performance during his tenure in office for the first and second terms, it does not follow that the same misfortune should repeat itself this time around with the same political party, the APC, in power,” he stated.

The former PDP chairman also reiterated his support for restructuring, describing it as the solution to many of Nigeria’s political and governance challenges.

According to him, there is excessive concentration of power at the federal level, a situation he said has encouraged the emergence and recycling of political elites more interested in power than development.

“I believe that the solution to Nigeria’s problems lies in restructuring through devolution of power. There is too much concentration of power at the centre, and until this is addressed, we shall continue to recycle power-mongering individuals in office,” he said.

Shelle advocated transferring more items from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List, arguing that this would reduce the concentration of resources and authority at the federal level.

He also called for reforms within the judiciary, stressing the need for judicial officers with integrity and sound moral values.

“Nigeria needs men and women of integrity and capacity to survive and definitely not a northerner or southerner in rotation,” he added.

Commenting on the state of opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections, Shelle said the opposition remains fragmented, a development he believes could significantly influence the electoral outcome.

“I see it as a divided opposition on one hand and a divided vote on the other. The outcome is highly unpredictable in a free and fair election,” he said.

He further alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had become compromised, while accusing the ruling party of weaponising poverty among citizens for political advantage.

“Money will definitely play a big role in the 2027 elections, but I pray that voters will be wise enough to vote rightly,” he said.

Shelle also claimed that growing public dissatisfaction with the ruling party could shape the political landscape ahead of the next general election.

“My random personal opinion polls indicate that eight out of every 10 voters are against the ruling party as a consequence of their profligacy, poor governance and insensitivity to the plight of the masses, among other burning issues, especially insecurity across the federation,” he said.