Constitution review: Reps oppose Senate on single term for President, govs

[SunNews]

From LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin

The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution review is seeking the  retention of the four years, two terms for the president, vice president , governors and their deputies. This is in sharp contrast to the position of the Senate whose committee on the Constitution amendment has recommended six years single term.

The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon Zakari Mohammed, disclosed the committee's position to reporters in Ilorin, Kwara State yesterday. Mohammed, who said the House's position on the issue was the true reflection of the vast majority of Nigerians, cautioned  the citizenry not to think that the Senate's recommendation came from all members of the National Assembly.

He said: "We are bringing out our own report soon. In the report, we have retained the structure of four years, two terms as it is in the Constitution. When we present our report, of course, there will be a conference committee between the Senate and House of Representatives.

"If they don't agree, there will be a conference and it is about 360 members of the House of Representatives and 109 Senators. At the end of the day, the position of the House would be in order.

"We went to Nigerians, 360 federal constituencies and everybody wanted a retention of the four years, two terms as enshrined in the Constitution. That is the judgment that we brought from the people, because our own Constitution review was people-based and it was an opportunity to interface with our people.

"Rather than mix it up, we need to be very clear. The Senate had submitted its own report, our report is ready, by the time we come back from the break, we will present it on the floor of the House, because it will come as a single bill,  it will go through the process of First Reading and Second Reading; then a public hearing and afterwards, it will come back to the floor of the House and we will adopt the report then, it becomes a clean Act that Mr. President will assent to."

On the granting of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) automatic ticket to President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2015 election by the Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, the House's spokesperson said, "that is undemocratic. Let everybody go to the field and test his popularity. The party men must be  given the opportunity to select the best of their choice, who can go in and face other people. May be the BoT Chairman was quoted out of context, because I know he should know better. What I know there must be time check after four years. People must be given the allowance to  assess if the administration is worth giving another chance, he posited," he said.

Recall that the Senate Constitution Review Committee (SCRC) under the chairmanship of Deputy  Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, tabled the report in the Upper Chamber in Abuja last Wednesday. The SCRC recommended a single six-year term for President and governors.

"Sections 135 and 180(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) stipulates that the president and governors could seek another term after four years"

In amending the Constitution, the SCRC had amended theprovision with a caveat; current office holders would now enjoy six years single tenure. The new proposal, according to the report, is expected to commence in 2015.

Via: Sun News Online

[Folami David]

No Nigerian president would ever go for just one term and say he is contented. They are all greedy politicians!