alt Hacker NewsOr it shows us that it's relatively rare that someone gets the opportunity to pass up power in this sort of fashion.
More often what happens is that leaders make small and often imperceptible choices to not amass more power over time, and that series of choices prevent the scenario like what you're describing from occurring.
Everyone offered power has the opportunity to deny it.
Can you name a US President, other than Washington, who reduced the power of the Presidency? All the ones I can think of increased it.