Reps Advances Bill For Six-Year Single Term For Presidency, Others

A bill proposing a single six-year term for the President has passed its first reading in the House of Representatives.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution, proposing a single six-year term for the President, State Governors, and Local Government Area Chairmen, has passed its first reading in the House of Representatives.

Sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere, representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State, along with 50 other lawmakers, the bill aims to reduce the expenses associated with four-year periodic elections.

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The bill seeks to modify Sections 7, 135, 137, 180, and 182 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Notably, Clause 2 proposes an amendment to Section 7 of the Principal Act by adding a new subsection (5).

This new subsection states, “A holder of the office of a Local Government Chairman shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of six years commencing from the date such holder was elected into office.”

Clause 3 of the bill seeks to amend Section 135 subsections (2), (2A) and (3) of the Principal Act by replacing the word “four” with “six” to read,

(2) Subject to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of six (6) years single tenure commencing from the date, when

(a) in the case of a person first elected as President under this Constitution, he took the Oath of Allegiance and the oath of office; and

(b) in any other case, the person last elected to that office under this Constitution took the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office or would, but for his death, have taken such Oaths.

(2A) in the determination of the six years term, where a re-run election has taken place and the person earlier sworn wins the re-run election, the time spent in the office before the date the election was annulled, shall be taken into account.

(3) If the Federation is at war in which the territory of Nigeria is physically involved and the President considers that it is not practicable to hold elections, the National Assembly may by resolution extend the period of six (6) years mentioned in subsection (2) of this section from time to time; but no such extension shall exceed a period of six months at any one time.

Clause 4 of the bill seeks to amend Section 137 of the Principal Act by deleting paragraph (b) and renumbering appropriately.