Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has advocated for rotational presidency and strengthening of electoral laws in order to advance democracy in Nigeria.
Atiku made the proposals which he addressed to the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, who doubles as Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, stating that the ongoing effort to review the 1999 Constitution would not be complete without those crucial areas.
The proposal, which was dated 30th August, 2024, contains recommendations that border on themes like procedures for the educational qualification of candidate(s) in elections, internal democracy in political parties and rotation of presidential positions among the six geopolitical zones of the country.
According to the explanatory note covering the proposals by the former Vice President, the amendments that he seeks are aimed at “reducing the tendencies of political parties to breach the constitution, electoral act, rules and guidelines made thereunder, and the constitution of the political party.”
Atiku stated: “Such indiscipline by political parties and infidelity to the electoral parameters yield chaos in the system.
“The above amendments will enthrone the discipline that is needed in a democracy.”
He noted: “Add Paragraph “A” to Section 130(1) to read – “the office of the president shall rotate among the six geopolitical zones of the Federation on a single term of Six Years flowing between the North and South on the single term of Six Years respectively.
“Amend Section 135(2) to read – “subject to the provisions of the subsection (1), the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of Six Years commencing from the date.
“Amend Section 137(1)(b) to read – “he has been elected to such office before.”
It will be recalled that the former Vice President was a flagbearer of the major opposition political party in the 2023 presidential election.
Thus, the recommendations that he has put forth to the National Assembly for amendments in the country’s election laws are areas where there are pitfalls in the subsisting laws regulating elections in Nigeria.