The House of Representatives has voted against the second reading of a Bill seeking to create a single term of six years, and rotation of power between zones for the position of president, governorship and local government chairmanship.
The Bill also sought to recognise the six geopolitical zones in the country as constitutional creations, as well as unify all elections to be held in a day.
It is titled a “A Bill for an Act to Alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to create a single term of six years for the office of President and State Governors, recognise the division of Nigeria into the six Geopolitical zones, provide for the rotation of the office of President,
State Governor and chairman of a Local Government Council among the Inherent regions and zones, and provide that all elections be held on a single day and for Related Matters (HB. 1511).
Sponsored by Hon. Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere and 33 others, the Bill suffered the setback on Thursday, just after the lead sponsor, Ugochinyere moved a motion for commencement of debate on its general principles.
When a question was put by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas for voice votes to confirm its second reading, majority of members voted in rejection.
The proposed bill sought to alter Sections 7, 135, 137, 180 and 182 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Highlights of the Bill shows that Clause two of the Bill seeks to amend Section seven of the Principal Act by inserting a new subsection (5) immediately after the extant subsection 4 and before the extant subsection 5 as follows, “(5) A holder of the office of a Local Government Chairman shall vacate his office at expiration of a period of six years commencing from the date such holder was elected into office.”
Clause 3 of the bill seeks to amend Section 135 subsections (2), (2A) and (3) of the Principal Act by replacing the word “four” with “six” to read:
“(2) Subject to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of six (6) years single tenure commencing from the date, when – (a) in the case of a person first elected as President under this Constitution, he took the Oath of Allegiance and the oath of office; and
(b) in any other case, the person last elected to that office under this Constitution took the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office or would, but for his death, have taken such Oaths.
“(2A) in the determination of the six years term, where a re-run election has taken place and the person earlier sworn wins the re-run election, the time spent in the office before the date the election was annulled, shall be taken into account.
“(3) If the Federation is at war in which the territory of Nigeria is physically involved and the President considers that it is not practicable to hold elections, the National Assembly may by resolution extend the period of six (6) years mentioned in subsection (2) of this section from time to time; but no such extension shall exceed a period of six months at any one time.”
Clause 4 of the bill seeks to amend Section 137 of the Principal Act by deleting paragraph (b) and renumbering appropriately.
Clause 5 of the proposed legislation l seeks to amend Section 180 of the Principal Act by deleting the extant subsections 2 and 3 and replacing it with new subsections 2 and 3.
It reads, “(2) Subject to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the Governor shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of six (6) years single tenure commencing from the date when — (a) in the case of a person first elected as Governor under this Constitution, he took the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office; and (b) the person last elected to that office took the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office or would, but for his death, have taken such oaths.
“(3) If the Federation is at war in which the territory of Nigeria is physically involved and the President considers that it is not practicable to hold elections, the National Assembly may by resolution extend the period of six years mentioned in subsection (2) of this section from time to time, but no such extension shall exceed a period of six months at any one time.
Clause 5 of the bill seeks to amend Section 182 (1) by deleting paragraph (b) and renumbering appropriately.”