Single Term – Citizens Split Over President’s Proposal

Clifford Ndujihe, Innocent Anaba, George Onah, Austin Ogwuda, Henry Umoru, Wahab Abdulah, Dapo Akinrefon, Emman Ovuakporie, Ola Ajayi, Dayo Johnson, Ben Agande, Inalegwu Shaibu and Abdulsalam Muhammad

28 July 2011

Lagos — In torrents, mixed reactions yesterday continued to trail President Goodluck Jonathan’s proposal 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.

It got a strident kick from 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).

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 in separate chats with Vanguard 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)

PRESIDENT Goodluck Ebele Jonathan during his arrival in Lagos

The rest include Bamidele Aturu, Chief Maxi Okwu, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, Mr Taiwo Taiwo, Mr. Peter Ogana and Moshood Erubami.

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 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).”

Agbakoba, Aturu, others back Jonathan

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.”

Okwu, Adegboruwa kick

On the contrary, Coordinator of Patriotic Alliance for Nigeria (PAN), Chief Maxi Okwu, said that Nigeria should continue with its renewable four-year tenure as “a single tenure will encourage corruption because beneficiaries will know that it is a one-off thing and will, therefore, do what they like, knowing that they will not come back.”

Relatedly, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a lawyer and human rights activist, said the proposal was not necessary and should be dispensed with.

He said: “It is too early to be talking about tenure, Mr President should be focusing on more immediate things such as power generation, food insecurity and security of lives and property. Issues of national development such as restructuring our federal system and managing the threat posed by the Boko Haram sect ought to occupy the mind of our leaders now,” he said.

Afenifere, Gbonigi laud move

The Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, yesterday supported the proposed single term of six year President and governors.

Its leader Chief Reuben Fasoranti who spoke with Vanguard in Akure said the move has always been the position of the Afenifere because it would allow the president and the governors to plan and execute their policies during their tenure.

He said the issue of second term had always been a problem in the country because the President and the governors instead of facing governance usually use the middle of their tenure to plan for a second term at the detriment of the electorate.

The Retired Anglican Bishop of Akure Diocese, Bishop Bolanle Gbinigi said that the proposal was laudable and would prevent diversion, help the economy and rule out acrimony and vendetta associated with second term.

Bishop Gbonigi said that the present system was too expensive and short for the president and governors to perform.

” If a governor is elected, he spends the first six months to settle down and work for another two and half years before he starts to strategise for a second term. But if it is six year single term, he would use one year to settle down and appoint political officers and the next five years to work knowing that there is no second term.”

Single term tenure ‘ll stabilise the polity – Yakasai

Former Special Adviser to President Shehu Shagari and elderstatesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, on his part lent his weight to the proposal.

He urged President Jonathan to adopt a holistic approach to other variables like rotation of power at the three tiers of government in Nigeria to lessen acrimony among competing forces.

Yakassai, who was a member of the 1995 Constitutional Conference, said: ‘What Mr. President is proposing is not new to Nigeria, the concept was captured in 1995 constitution that never saw the light of the day. My support for Jonathan’s proposal stem from the fact that his initiative is in tandem with the 1995 constitution that stipulates among others rotation of power among interest groups in the three tiers of government.”

Yakassai noted that the proposal would eliminate do-or-die politics in the system pointing out that the current system that allows Presidents and Governors two terms was ‘unproductive and detrimental’ to democracy. He said: “We have seen in practice the merits and demerits of the current system that recognizes two-term tenure for president and governors, and the summary is that the essence put at risk the whole concept of civil governance.”

He added that if the proposal sailed through, it would compel the president and governors to be more proactive to governance and “state resources will no longer suffer quantum assault for reelection bid of an incumbent.”

Adebanjo, Falae differ

Relatedly, a chieftain of NADECO and The Patriots, which had been calling for a single term of five years, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, urged Nigerians to back the move.

“I do not think Nigerians should express any fear since the President has said he would not be a beneficiary. He has also promised not to seek another term,” he said.

National Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani Adams, welcomed the idea of having a six-year single tenure for governors and presidents noting that it would enhance performance.

“I think the six years one term is okay for our system because it will reduce corruption in the polity. However, Chief Falae said he was disappointed with the decision of the president.”

However, Chief Falae said he was disappointed with the decision of the president.

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