November 24, (THEWILL) – A few hours after the House of Representatives rejected a bill recommending a single term of six years for the President, State Governors and Local Government Council Chairmen by amending the 1999 Constitution, the sponsors of the bill regrouped and pledged to re-strategise towards engaging stakeholders for more robust discussions.
The proposed bill had sought to alter Sections 76, 116, 132, 136 and some others of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), proposed legal backing for the rotation of the presidential, governorship and local government positions according to zones within the country and states. The sponsors also wanted all elections held on the same day.
Leader of the sponsor, Rep Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP-Imo) and his 33 other lawmakers, stated that “these amendments would ensure inclusive governance and help to curb wastages occasioned by four-year periodic elections.”
Right from its first reading in July this year, the bill appeared doomed perhaps because it was overshadowed by the single-six-year term, leaving other sections of it unattractive.
Apart from seeking amendments to Section 132 of the Principal Act for constitutional backing for rotational presidency between the South and the North every six years, the bill also sought alterations to Section 76 of the Principal Act to ensure all elections into the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly shall hold simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.
Other amendments sought by the bill looked novel and unattractive to office holders. For instance, the part that the First Vice President should be sworn in as President in circumstances where a person duly elected as President dies before taking and subscribing the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office or is for any reason whatsoever unable to be sworn in, was kicked against by members. According to the bill, the First Vice President turned President shall appoint a new First Vice President with the approval by a simple majority of the National Assembly at a joint sitting.
At the level of the state, this aspect of the bill took a more frightening political undertone whereby the bill wanted alteration to a section of the constitution to ensure that a person who was sworn in as Governor to complete the term for which another person was elected as Governor shall not be elected to such office for another term.
The Principal Act was to be altered by the insertion of a new Section 188 immediately after the extant 187 and immediately before the extant 188 and renumbering accordingly as follows; 188(1) Notwithstanding any other provision, the Governor shall present a mid-term account of stewardship performance report to the State House of Assembly at the end of the third year of the six-year term. The State House of Assembly shall determine by a resolution supported by not less than two-third majority of members whether the Governor has by the account of stewardship report justified his continuous stay in office.
The Assembly upon the consideration of the mid-term report under subsection (1) of this section, the State House of Assembly is not satisfied with the performance of the Governor for the period he has been in office, the State House of Assembly shall pass a vote of no confidence on the Governor. The State House of Assembly shall immediately commence the process for the impeachment of the Governor from office.”
Following the nonchalant reception of the bill by many members, it was not surprising that when the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the plenary session put the bill to a voice vote, the nays were so loud that the voices of the ayes faded into a whisper.
Undeterred, Ugochinyere argued that the struggle to reform the nation’s constitutional democracy to be all-inclusive has just begun and last Thursday the rejection of the bill by his colleagues was a temporary setback.
He said, “This is a temporary set -back which does not affect the campaign for an inclusive democratic process. We are going to review this decision and find possible ways of reintroducing it after following due legislative procedures,” the lawmaker said.
“All I can tell Nigerians is that we will continue the advocacy and convince our colleagues to see reason with us. If elections are held in one day, it will reduce the cost and reduce rigging.
“If power rotates, it will help de-escalate. political tensions and a six-year single term will go a long way in helping elected leaders focus on delivering their democratic mandate. All hope is not lost, we will continue the advocacy and we hope that when reintroduced our colleagues will support it.”
Two political views represent voices of support and opposition that the Ungochinyere-led group proposing the bill will likely encounter as they embark on their renewed fight. They are those of a former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar and Ex-General Secretary of Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Anthony N.K Sani.
Abubakar is a supporter of the single-six- year tenure, though in a slightly different form from that proposed by the lawmakers.
Abubakar’s proposals, addressed to the Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Barau Jibrin, and dated August 30, 2024, contains recommendations that border on themes like procedures for the educational qualification of candidate(s) in elections, internal democracy in political parties and rotation of presidential position among the six (6) geo-political zones of the country.
According to the explanatory note covering the proposals by the former Vice President, the amendments that he seeks in the review of the constitution aim at the following:
1. Raising the standard of the educational qualification of political office seekers
2. An end to violent takeover of political parties and thereby strengthening internal structure of political parties
3. Reducing the tendencies of political parties to breach the constitution, electoral act, rules and guidelines made thereunder and the constitution of the political party.
“The implication of the above is that political parties are allowed a very wide latitude to breach the perimeter of laws on elections.
“Such indiscipline by political parties and infidelity to the electoral parameters yield chaos in the system.
“The above amendments will enthrone the discipline that is needed in a democracy,” Atiku stated.
The recommendation for rotational presidency in the proposal reads thus: Add paragraph “A” to section 130(1) to read – “The Office of the President shall rotate among the six geopolitical zones of the Federation on a single term of Six Years flowing between the North and South on the single term of Six Years, respectively.
Amend Section 135(2) to read – “Subject to the provisions of the subsection (1), the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of Six Years commencing from the date.
Amend Section 137(1)(b) to read – “he has been elected to such office before.”
Atiku described the vote against the bill as unfortunate and agreed with the sponsors in their bid to further engage stakeholders on the merits of the bill.
Sani kicked against the six—year-single tenure for reasons of performance.
He said: “When some elbow-throwing grievance groups clamour for government preferment hanker for single tenure for president and governor as panacea to feckless performance, it is because such people ignore performance as ingredients for socioeconomic development.
“Else, they will know that single tenure has no incentives and motivation for high performance precisely because there is no difference between those who perform and those who do not perform.”
“When motivation is removed as an instrument of management practices, It is no more leadership but something else. We have seen how single tenure for Vice chancellors have not improved management practices in our universities.
“As regards the submission that single tenure will remove abuse of incumbency, we cannot solve that problem and create a different one.
“To solve the problems of abuse of incumbency without killing incentives and motivation for performance.
“Chile and Uruguay practice multiple tenures, but they are not consecutive. That is to say a President cannot conduct an election in which he or she is a candidate. That way, incentives and motivation for performance are not sacrificed on the altar of expedience.”
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
