Nigerains debate Atiku’s single term presidency proposal

The single term presidency of six years proposed by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has sparked debate among Nigerians.

Atiku, a 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, had called for a single term of six years presidency for Nigeria.

He proposed that Section 135(2) should be amended 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 of swearing-in.”

The single term presidency of six years proposed by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has sparked debate among Nigerians.

Atiku, a 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, had called for a single term of six years presidency for Nigeria.

He proposed that Section 135(2) should be amended 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 of swearing-in.”

In response to the call of the National Assembly for inputs in its ongoing move to review the 1999 Constitution as amended, Atiku said the office of the president should rotate among the six geopolitical zones of the Federation.

Atiku’s proposal was addressed to the Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Barau Jibrin.

Six years single term presidency panacea for distraction – Arewa youths

Backing Atiku’s call, the National President of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, AYCF, Yerima Shettima said the proposal would eliminate distractions among the political office holders who always look towards a second term after the first year in office.

Speaking with newsmen, Shettima said: “I will agree with the single term rotational presidency because with the way politicians are becoming desperate by the day, I think it would reduce anxiety, desperation, and tension.

“Once somebody’s term is short, he would definitely clear up for another person rather than this issue of distraction where they believe in coming back for a second term.

“If you notice, their mandate is for four years but the moment they get the first year, rather than remain focused to provide governance in the second year, they start positioning themselves for a second term.

“So, they only have one year out of the four to work and that’s why we often have the challenges of the government coming out without instituting any concrete infrastructure or any meaningful impact as regards governance or the mandate.

“So, I think it’s a sign of distraction; if we can amend the constitution to reduce the whole governance to six years and one term for anyone in the executive office.

“It will go a long way and we can feel the first four years; even if he wants to bring in somebody, he will concentrate for the first four years and he can use the remaining two years to seek support for whoever he wants to succeed him.”

Shettima, however, expressed fear that the National Assembly might not allow Atiku’s proposal to scale through.

He explained that the current crop of National Assembly members would only be interested in doing the bidding of the Executive regarding the proposal.

Shettima added: “The National Assembly that I see today, they will do what’s in the interest of the executive and if the executive is not interested after consultation, they will do otherwise.

“The National Assembly I see today can’t do anything other than being Rubber-stamp, in fact they are Rubber-stamp.

“Once the executive wants it that way, it will work but if they don’t want it, you don’t need to ask the NASS because the NASS leadership I see today can’t do otherwise.”