A coalition of not less than 30 members of the House of Representatives, operating under the banner of ‘Reform Minded Lawmakers’, has announced the sponsorship of a constitution amendment bill for a single six-year term for presidents and governors.
The legislators, who spoke through Rep. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere at a press conference on Monday, emphasised that constitutional and electoral reforms have been long-standing issues in Nigeria since independence, fueling unrest and deepening religious and ethnic divisions within the nation.
“It is evident that our current political framework suffers from distortions, defects, and limitations that demand urgent, focused, and pragmatic attention. Therefore, we have initiated this endeavour towards political and electoral reform.
“As a first step in our commitment, we are presenting a series of bills and proposals to the public, which are currently under consideration on the floor of the 10th Assembly.
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“These bills, numbering 50 in total, have already undergone the first reading. Today, we are unveiling approximately six of them to the public, with the remainder to follow in the coming weeks,” he said.
He said one of such bills seeks constitutional amendments to facilitate the rotation of executive powers among the six geopolitical ones, aiming to ensure equitable representation and reduce agitation for the creation of states.
This is as they propose an amendment to establish a single six-year term for the President and Governors of Nigeria, with the aim of curbing government’s spending, enhancing governance efficiency, and promoting national stability.
They also propose the creation of the office of two vice presidents, representing the southern and northern regions of Nigeria, wherein the first vice president would serve as a successor, while the second would oversee the economy, and both would hold ministerial positions.
The amendment also proposes that the president and the first vice president come from the same part of the country (north or south), with the latter assuming the presidency in case of the president’s incapacity.
Additionally, the lawmakers underscored the imperative of electoral reforms to restore integrity to Nigeria’s political landscape and proposed several reforms, including the consolidation of all elections, including presidential, gubernatorial, National Assembly, state houses of assembly, and local government elections, to be held concurrently.
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