6yrs Single Tenure: Jonathan, Governors To Loss Second Term

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Review of the Constitution, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has said if the committee’s recommendation on 6yrs single tenure succeeds, President Goodluck Jonathan will sacrifice his presidential ambition in 2015.

“But we don’t want Nigerians to say that we have colluded with the executive to give tenure elongation to the President and certain governors. That means somebody instead of staying for eight years; he will now be staying for 10 years."

Ekweremadu, who is the Deputy Senate President, also said some governors would sacrifice their second term ambitions in 2015.

He stated this in Abuja on Thursday while explaining the fate of the President and some governors on the proposed six-year single tenure amendment to the 1999 Constitution.

The deputy senate President said, “For us, it would have been easy to say let’s put it six years and let whoever wants, including those who are available now, let them benefit, so long as it will help in keeping overheating the system away.

“[But] I think it will be easier for someone to deal with the issue of making a sacrifice than for someone to have the period for 10 years; I am not sure what our colleagues will say. If they say that those who are there now should benefit, that is fine. Those who are currently serving should be able to excuse themselves and say we make this sacrifice on behalf of the system.”