A group of members of the House of Representatives under the aegis of ‘Reform Minded Lawmakers’ has called for a single term of six years for president and governors among other electoral reforms as contained in various bills presented before the House.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Ikenga Ugochinyere, accompanied by fellow legislators and co-sponsors of the bills, announced that the proposed legislation advocating for a six-year term for both the president and governors has successfully passed its first reading.
The lawmakers outlined that the bill aims to introduce a rotational system of executive powers among the six geopolitical zones, with the objective of ensuring equitable representation and mitigating the fervor of agitation for state creation.
Currently, as per the provisions of the 1999 constitution, a candidate can serve a four-year term and seek re-election for an additional term, after which they are ineligible to run for office again.
In addition to the presidential and gubernatorial term extension proposal, the legislators introduced several other constitutional amendment bills addressing governance, restructuring, and electoral reforms.
One notable proposal is the amendment of section 3 of the constitution to formally recognise the division of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones.
Furthermore, the caucus seeks to establish the positions of two vice presidents, representing the southern and northern regions of Nigeria, through the constitutional amendment process.
The statement said; “We are a group of Reform minded Lawmakers committed towards using the instrument of lawmaking to reform Nigeria and our political process.
“This is equally in line with our realization that our current political arrangement has some identified distortions, defects, and limitations that call for urgent, focused, and realistic attention,hence this initiative on political and Electoral reform.
“Our history as a nation shows very clearly that we have been through some difficult times. We have missed great opportunities.
“Hence, as the first step in our commitment, we are presenting to the public Bills and proposals, which we are pushing on the floor of the 10th Assembly.
“These bills will touch on every aspect of development in all sectors of our Economy and well-being as a nation.
“These bills which are 50 in numbers have gone through first reading but today we are starting with public unveiling of about 6 of them while the remaining will come in the weeks ahead.”
The lawmakers said they seek, among other things, to push for “constitutional Alteration to provide for the rotation of executive powers among the six geopolitical zones to ensure equal representation and reduce the desperation and tempo of agitation for the creation of states”.
“Amendment of section 3 of the Constitution to provide for the recognition of the division of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones. Amendment of the Constitution to provide for a single tenure of six years for the President and Governors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The 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.
“Amend the Constitution to create 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.
“Constitutional Amendment to provide that the President and the 1st Vice President shall come from the same part of the country (north or south) and the 1st Vice President shall become President whenever the President becomes incapacitated, i.e., V.P. (Succession), V.P. (Administration and Economy)
“The financial autonomy and accountability of Local Government Councils by prescribing an independent Consolidated Local Government Council Account solely superintended by Local Councils and prescribing long-term imprisonment for any misuse of Local Government funds.”
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