PPA disagrees with ACN, others on 6-year single tenure

Written by Nan Friday, 29 July 2011 05:00

The Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) yesterday disagreed with opposition parties including the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) on President Goodluck Jonathan’s proposed six-year single term for president and state governors.

Speaking in Abuja, Chief Sam Nkire, the PPA National Chairman, lauded the proposal as a welcome idea as it would encourage zoning and give every part of the country a sense of belonging.

“I am very happy with this development and I am strongly advocating for it. If the six-year single tenure comes alive, it means all the constituencies will be fully represented,’’ Nkire said.

The chairman said the four-year tenure in practise had made political office holders to hold on to power for too long without making good impact in the system.

“Political office holders stay in office for eight years and in the end they have nothing to show for it. I will suggest that the president and governors should not stay for more than one term in office.’’

The PPA chairman also threw his weight behind the Islamic banking and called on Nigerians to embrace the non-interest banking which, he said, would save the country’s present economic situation.

“I will be the first person to open an account with the Islamic bank the day it is introduced in this country. I see nothing wrong with it.

“I will first of all, look at the terms of banking and if I like it, I will go ahead to open an account with them.’’

Nkire urged Nigerians to avoid sentiments and embrace the non-interest banking system, arguing that commercial banks’ interest rates were high, “which is causing a collapse in the economy.’’

“Islamic banking system does not automatically convert you. So, I urge Nigerians to see it in that light and let development take place.’’

However, other opposition political parties yesterday said the proposal by President Jonathan for a single tenure of 6 years for the offices referred to was ill-conceived and self-serving, and aimed at overheating the polity.

CPC’s spokesman Rotimi Fasakin said his party viewed the development with “utter disgust” while ACN described the single-tenure proposal as “deceptive’’. A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said: “The single tenure project is fraudulent and deceptive because the President never for once promises Nigerians during his electioneering campaign that this will be his priority project once elected into office.”

“The issue is also not known to be in the manifesto of his party, the PDP,’’ the statement said. The statement also described the proposal for the amendment of the constitution as “self-serving” and a “misadventure,” the party added

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan in an address at the PDP National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on yesterday reiterated his earlier position on tenure elongation, stressing that his tenure would end in May 2015.  (NAN)

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