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The House of Representatives on Tuesday rejected a Bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to accommodate a six-year single tenure for the President and governors in the future.
The Bill, sponsored by John Dyegh (APC, Benue), also seeks a six-year multiple tenure for federal and state legislators.
When the Bill was presented Tuesday for second reading, the House became rowdy as members started shouting “put the question, put the question” immediately Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase, who presided over the House, read out the Bill.
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Some members saw the Bill as a third term ploy for the President.
Dyegh’s attempts to get his colleagues to support the second reading failed.
House Leader Peter Akpatason informed the House that the President had told the nation that he was not interested in another tenure, after his second, adding that the wishes of the President should be respected.
Sergius Oguns (PDP, Edo), who was the only supporters of the Bill, said it was meant to curtail huge spending on elections for second term.
He said: “If the Executive will be honest to tell us what they spend in search of second term, you will be shocked. The Bill wants to address that. When you don’t work for the people, your party will lose that state.”
Archibong Okon (PDP, Akwa Ibom) said the House should be concerned about how to make the electoral process better.
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Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) said it was important for the House to gauge the mood of the nation before taking any step towards giving governors and the President a six-year single tenure.
Haruna Isa Dederi (APC, Kano) argued that after every four years, there is an opportunity for the electorate to appraise the performance of their elected leaders and decide whether to return them or not.
Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu also opposed the Bill.
After the debate, the House unanimously voted against it.
