- 35 Reps members propose 6 yr single tenure for president, Govs in Nigeria
- Divergent reactions trail proposal as Arewa Youths Forum, others differ on the bill
- Obi/Datti say electoral reforms should be prioritized more than six year single tenure
Recently, 35 House of Representatives members proposed a Bill for an Act demanding the constitutional alteration to provide for the rotation of executive powers among the six geopolitical zones.
This according to these Reps members, this is to ensure equal representation and reduce the desperation and tempo of agitation for the creation of states.
Led by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP-Imo), the law makers made the call while addressing a news conference at the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday.
Hon. Ikenga said that the lawmakers were also seeking the amendment of Section III of the constitution to provide for the recognition of the division of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones.
He added that they were also seeking the provision of a single tenure of six years for the President and Governors in the country.
In his statement, “The bill is also seeking reduction in government spending and wastage, efficiency in governance, and national stability by providing a single term of six years for the President and Governors.
According to them, “we want the creation of the office of two vice presidents from the southern and northern parts of Nigeria.
”The 1st vice shall be a succession Vice president, while the 2nd Vice president shall be a Minister in charge of the Economy, and both shall be Ministers.”
He added that, the financial autonomy and accountability of Local Government Councils by prescribing an independent Consolidated Local Government Council Account was germane.
This, he said would be solely superintended by Local Councils and prescribing long-term imprisonment for any misuse of Local Government funds.
He further said that the bill would seek to amend the relevant sections of the Electoral Act to ensure that all elections at both Federal and State levels were held on the same day among others.
The lawmaker said that the bill if become an Act, would ensure that all elections and election-related litigation were concluded within a period of six months.
This, according to him is before the swearing into office of the validly elected person for the office contested.
“Ours is a commitment to building a united, stable, and prosperous nation. Nigeria can and must become a great and modern nation.”
Electoral reforms
On electoral reforms, the legislators want to amend the relevant sections of the Electoral Act 2022 to ensure that all elections — presidential, governorship, national assembly, state houses of assembly, and local governments — are held on the same day.
They also want the law amended to ensure that “no declaration of a winner of an election shall be done by the relevant INEC officials until such officer has compared the results with the list of accredited voters and ensured that the results to be declared are in tandem with the list of accredited voters and the B-VAS machine or any other electronic device”.
“To provide that any INEC officer who declares a false result will be liable for civil and criminal action personally brought against him by parties in the elections,” the lawmakers said.
Importantly, the lawmakers are proposing that all election-related litigations must be resolved and determined by the elections petitions tribunal, and appeal courts before the winners are sworn into the respective elective offices.
“To make provision for the conduct and conclusion of all elections and election-related litigation within a period of six months before the swearing into office of the validly elected person for the office contested,” the legislators said.
“To provide that all election-related documents and materials must be made available to those who participated in elections and who have reasons to question/petition the elections at the elections tribunal.”
The legislators said they are “taking a crucial step that will further strengthen our understanding, expand the frontiers of our inclusiveness, deepen our bond as one people under God and build a stronger support that will deepen our democracy and electoral system”.
“The reformers are cognizant of the fact that Nigeria in times past has deliberated on and accepted some of the proposals in the bills we are presented in several reform processes, including the Justice Uwais electoral reforms, the senator Ken Nnamani electoral reform committee, the Udoji civil service reform reports, the Confab reports, Jonathan, IBB,Abacha reform efforts and several others. These works by eminent Nigerians including lawmakers before us have been long abandoned despite the time and resources committed to them. It’s time we revisited those reports, adopted some of the salient proposals, and adjusted them to fit the current realities. Therefore, the bills presented today will address that proposal,” the legislators said.
The lawmakers urged their colleagues to support the bills and ensure that they scale through the constitutional amendment process.
The bills would have to scale through legislative hurdles for them to become law.
According to sections 9(2) and (3) of the 1999 constitution, two-thirds of all the state assemblies — 24 states — are required for each amendment to be approved.
Goodluck Jonathan proposed the bill in 2015
WITHIN NIGERIA findings showed that this is not the first time such proposal was being bandied by well meaning Nigerians to sort of restructure the political landscape of the country
In July 2011, the president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has proposed a single tenure for the office of the president.
According to the former president, the proposal is to initiate a bill for a single tenure for president and governors in the country beginning from 2015.
Although, President Jonathan said he would not be a beneficiary, the proposal drew opponents and supporters in equal measure from all parts of the country.
The proposal got a strident kick from the then leading opposition parties and platforms in the country such as the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Patriotic Alliance for Nigeria (PAN), Civil Liberties Organisation and Transition Monitoring Group (TMG).
However, conversely, The Patriots, Afenifere and Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) endorsed the proposal, saying that it could make way for good governance in the country.
Eminent Nigerians, who spoke on the matter include Second Republic politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, a stalwart of The Patriots, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), 1999 AD/APP Presidential Candidate, Chief Olu Falae and Afenifere Leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, retired Anglican Bishop of Akure Diocese, Bishop Bolanle Gbinigi and Mr. Sebastine Hon (SAN)
While opposing the proposal, the CNPP in a statement by Osita Okechukwu, said it was a plot by Jonathan to elongate his tenure and perpetuate himself in office. The CPC said it was the “unveiling of a grand delusion” and the ACN said it was “nothing but tenure elongation by subterfuge.”
In a statement then by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN said the project was also self-serving because, “despite the deceptive proviso that President Jonathan will not benefit from it, there is nothing in the constitution that bars him from seeking another term of office in 2015. In any case, he has not told anyone that he will not run again after his current tenure.
‘’This is nothing but tenure elongation by subterfuge, and it is worse than the third term misadventure of his Godfather (Olusegun Obasanjo).”
Speaking on the issue, Rights activist and lawyer, Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) lauded the proposed single tenure for elected public officers in Nigeria
Agbakoba said the proposal was good and commended Jonathan for also proposing that the arrangement would take effect after the current administration’s tenure.
The former NBA President, however, said there was need to consult Nigerians on the matter.
He said: “The timing of the proposal was wrong. What I expect is for the government to come up with ways of making the nation’s economy work again and alleviate the plight of Nigerians,” he said and suggested that the National Assembly should amend the entire Constitution.
“There are so many issues that call for amendment, including the issue of true federalism that should give more powers to states. A holistic approach will take care of all these issues.”
Social critic, Mr Bamidele Aturu said that such an arrangement would make Nigeria’s democracy more fruitful because “it will reduce the eight years of ‘looting’ by elected public officers.”
With such torrents of criticism from such influential groups and individuals, the former president couldn’t do otherwise but to back down, waiting for a better time which unfortunately, never was before he was defeated in the 2015 general elections.
Peter Obi also proposed for single five-year tenure for presidential office
Recall also that this year, the presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi proposed a five year single tenure for presidential office
Obi gave the recommendation during a press conference in Abuja, held two weeks after the
Supreme Court affirmed President Bola Tinubu’s electoral victory on February 25, 2023, under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr. Obi’s proposal was coming in the heels of the press briefing by Atiku, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the same election, who suggested a constitutional amendment to establish a six-year single term for the president.
In contrast, Obi disagreed with the six-year tenure idea, advocating for a five-year term with a 30-year rotation system.
“I thank (former) Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his position and his commitment to ensuring that things work better going forward in Nigeria but I disagree slightly,” he said.
“I will go for a five-year tenure, which will go for 30 years rotational — for a five-year tenure.”
The 62-year-old further proposed the implementation of a quasi-system that would enable leaders in office to simultaneously participate in the legislature.
“And I will still campaign for one thing, if we cannot go back to the issue of parliamentary democracy, we must have a quasi-system that will allow our elected leaders, whether prime minister or president, to be able to be part of the legislature, especially to answer question,” he said.
“Maybe a presidential question or prime minister question, instead of hiring surrogates. We want to hear from the people we elected now and that is critical. We cannot continue with this way where we are now, where people have outsourced leadership.”
Reactions on the proposals
However, since the press conference by the 35 law makers, mixed reactions have continued to trail the proposals.
Yunusa Tanko, the Chief Spokesperson, Peter Obi/ Datti Baba-Ahmed Presidential Campaign Council for 2023, has kicked against the single tenure proposal.
According to him, reforming the electoral process is much more needed now than the proposed single- tenure rotational presidency, to deepen democracy.
Tanko, also a former National Chairman of the defunct National Conscience Party (NCP), said this in an with newsmen on Tuesday.
He started that reforming the electoral process would guarantee the emergence of credible leaders across all levels of government.
According to him, deepening democracy to guarantee emergence of credible leaders should be one of the key things to consider in the ongoing process to amend the constitution.
In his words “These( single tenure of six years and rotational presidency) are things that will be decided by the Nigerian people when the time comes.
“They are not things that should be at the front burner of discussions at the moment now.
“This is because what we need actually at the moment is for us to have an electoral reform that would dovetail into credible elections.
“Once we have that, we shall be talking about tenure of office,” Tanko said.
He said that the National Assembly should not focus on tenure of office but deepening the electoral process to promote democracy.
“Let us reform the electoral system to l make it clean and clear so that we can have credible elections,” he said.
Arewa group praises single tenure proposal
Also speaking with news men, Alhaji Shettima Yerima, National President, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, said that rotational presidency and single term of six years for the president and governors were good ideas.
According to him, rotational presidency might not be consistent with democratic principles.
Yerima, also a rights activist, said: “it is good, the only problem I have with it is the rotational aspect of it. We must allow it to be democratic.
“He who has the number should take it, and he who does not produce the number should be patient and wait for his time.
“However, this is not really our problem, but it is good. One term for any leader to rule and get away.”