President Goodluck Jonathan
The
Presidency on Friday said the clause in the proposed constitution
amendment, which seeks to exclude President Goodluck Jonathan and some
governors from participating in the 2015 elections, would fail.
Special Adviser to the President on
Political Matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak, said this in an exclusive interview
with one of our correspondents in Abuja.
Gulak said it would be unfair for the
National Assembly to make an amendment that would short-change those
elected under a constitution that allows them to contest two terms of
four years each.
He said, “It is not a fair amendment to
target a particular group of people. That proposal will not scale
through because Nigerians are wiser.
“You can’t short-change some people in
the name of amending the constitution. I am sure there will be some
considerations and the proposal will fail.
“The President and some governors were
elected under a constitution that allows them to contest two terms of
four years each. You can’t change the rule midway.”
Similarly, the Arewa Consultative Forum
opposed the six year-single tenure for the president and governors as
proposed by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution.
The apex northern socio-political body cautioned members of the National Assembly against adopting it.
It argued that adopting such a provision
would be counterproductive because it was capable of impeding good
governance in the country.
National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Mr. Anthony Sani, told SUNDAY PUNCH,
in Kaduna, that apart from good governance, the proposal lacked the
basic elements of motivation and incentives needed in the management of
human affairs.
