The House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a bill seeking a single term of six years for the Offices of the President, State Governors and Local Government Areas Chairmen by amending the 1999 constitution.
The Bill which was seeking to alter Sections 76, 116, 132, 136, and of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), was sponsored by Rep Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP-Imo) and 33 other lawmakers,
The Bill in addition was also seeking legal backing for zonal rotation of presidential and governorship seats, as well as holding of the elections in one day.
According to the general principles of the bill, “these amendments was to ensure inclusive governance and to curb wastages occasioned by four-year periodic elections.
The Bill was introduced for second reading by the lead sponsor, Rep. Ugochinyere and seconded.
However, when the bill was put into voice vote by the Speaker, Abbas Tajuddeen, there was a loud ‘Nay’ from the members.
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The Speaker therefore announced that, the ‘Nays’ had it which means that, the bill was rejected and failed to scale through second reading.
The bill among others seeks amendment of Section 132 of the Principal Act by inserting a new subsection (2), deleting the extant subsection (4) and renumbering the entire section accordingly to provide that an election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be rotated between the North and the South regions of the country every six years.
“Other amendments include, Section 76 of the Principal Act is altered by inserting a new subsection (3) as follows; (3) For the Purposes of Section (1) of this section, all elections into the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly shall hold simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.
“Section 116 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting a new a subsection (3) as follows; < For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, all elections into the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Councils shall be held simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.
“Section 132 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting a new é subsection (2), deleting the extant subsection (4) and renumbering the entire section accordingly: An election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be rotated between the North and the South regions of the Country every six years. Provided that where it is the turn of the North or South to present a candidate for election into the office of President, it shall be rotated among the three geo-political zones that constitutes the regions. The extant subsection (2) becomes subsection (3) The extant subsection (3) becomes subsection (4) The extant subsection (4) is hereby deleted The extant subsection (5) remains subsection (5).
However, in a swift reaction, the Co-Sponsor of the Bill, Rep Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere assured that his group would represent the Bill.
According to ho him, “We will Re present the proposal for 6yrs single term, rotational presidency/governorship and all elections in one day”.
READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
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