Some concerned Nigerians have heavily criticized President Goodluck Jonathan intention to send a proposal to the Senate, for term expansion for President and state governors.
Read their statements below:
Akinnola writes, "The six-year single term tenure constitution proposal by Jonathan is just a distraction to take our minds from his ineptitude and go-slow government. Another thrird-term subterfuge. Shame."
The posting attracted instant comments by those who agreed with the author. On Nigeria's most popular online social network, Nairaland.com, contributors were also unsparing of the President. A poster, Walata44, wrote, "Talk about misplaced priority, Jonny is without a rival.
"For all the enormous problems facing the nation, the most important bill that this clueless man will send or has already being sent is tenure elongation. Nigeria I hail thee." Another poster lamented that he had checked the President's campaign promises again and there was no promise of term elongation among them.
The TMG's Chairman, Mr. Mashood Erubami, described the plan as "unsolicited and unacceptable." He said the move was tantamount to a "hidden transmutation agenda," hence self-conceited.
Erubami, in a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday, said that nobody was convinced by the President's assurance that he would not benefit from the proposal.
He added that the urgency attached to the bill when the President should be preoccupied with other priorities of state was an indication that he would be pressured to benefit by the same people that mooted the idea. He therefore asked both state and federal lawmakers to reject the bill as another third term agenda.
A constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itsay Sagay, however, described the proposed amendment as reasonable "but not pressing," saying it could serve as a temporary solution to political problems facing the country.
"It is not a bad idea that the president said he was pushing for the amendment for national interest and not for personal interest. But it is not the most pressing issue. The most pressing issue is the issue of federalism. The Federal Government needs to devolve some of its powers.
The country as it is under a unitary government. The Federal Government is controlling a lot of powers and resources it cannot efficiently dispense," Sagay told one of our correspondents on the telephone on Wednesday.
Punch
It is just unfortunate that at this time when the leadership of the country proffer solutions to lingering problems facing the nation, term elongation has been made a priority. Will anything good come out of this administration?