Habeeb I. Pindiga
3 March 2006
Evidence obtained exclusively by Daily Trust in Abuja yesterday indicated that submissions made before the North-central team of the National Assembly Joint Constitution Review Committee have been altered to support third term.
One of the presentations made by Professor Ayo Dunmoye of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, had canvassed the retention of a four-year renewable term for the president and governors, but the report of the lawmakers' team that conducted the hearing at Lafia, Nasarawa state, said Dunmoye supported three terms of four years for executive officers.
In opposing third term, part of Dunmoye's 16-page paper circulated to journalists in Lafia during the hearing last week reads, "it is our submission here that there is nothing wrong with clauses 135 (1) and 180 (1) (d) respectively which prescribe 4 years (renewable once) tenure for the President of the Federal Republic and state governors. To extend tenure is to vitiate the idea of democracy which stipulates a limit to the number of terms an executive can have .
"It is also self serving and fraudulent for any incumbent president or state governor to accept an extension of tenure contrary to what obtained when he was elected. It will lay a bad precedent; it may eventually go the extent of proposing a limitless number of tenures for the president."
The paper concluded: "There is no problem with the two terms provision."
But the legislators' report signed by the group's chairman, Senator Iyabode Anisulowo, co-chairman, Hon Abdurrauf Tukur and secretary, Mr. Iguodala Ed, quoted Dunmoye as proposing three terms of four years for the president and state governors.
Item 5 of the report, titled 'summary of memoranda/presentations', said of Dunmoye's presentation: "He submits that: (a) citizenship and indegineship be defined in the constitution to include any Nigerian citizen who has lived or worked uninterruptedly in a state other than his/her own for more than fifteen years.
"(b) Women who are married outside their states should be regarded as indigenes of the state of their husbands, just like the offspring and
"(c) Tenure of the executive should be reviewed to 3 terms of 4 years each."
The lawmakers' group also approved the review of the constitution to provide three terms of four years for the executive.
Attempts to get explanations from Anisulowo and Tukur failed yesterday.
When Daily Trust called Anisulowo's phone at 6.23pm, a man who said he is her personal assistant answered the call and said the senator was resting and would not respond to any enquiries until Monday.
Our reporter explained to the man that the issue at hand was urgent and it may be in the chairman's interest to respond promptly, but the personal assistant instead declined the request.
Tukur's could not be reached despite repeated attempts. Our reporter sent him a text message but it received no response.
Other members of the committee did not sign the report and there was no provision in the document for their signatures.
Besides Anisulowo and Tukur, other members of the lawmakers' team were Senators Baba Tela, Omar Hambagda, Abdulazeez Ibrahim, Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, Patrick Osakwe, Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, Hons Bolous Indiamaowei, Jim Adun, Bello Moriki, Bashir Koko and Joel Danlami Ikenya.
The 15-page report also listed 11 constitutional amendments that were canvassed in the North-central as follows: "(a) Establishment of National Council and State Council of Chiefs (b) Local Government Autonomy (c) Rotation of the presidency and recognition of geo-political zone (d) Structure to have true federalism (e) Tenure of three terms of four years for the executive (f) 30 per cent gender representation in political appointments (g) Derivation should be increased in the oil producing areas. Hydro Power Development Commission (HYPERDEC) and Solid Minerals Development Commission (SOMIDEC) should be established in order to benefit from derivation (h) Governors should enjoy immunity only in respect of civil cases (i) State and Local Government creation be made feasible (j) indigeneship and citizenship (k) Political and administrative reforms in the FCT, etc."
The lawmakers said they reached their conclusion on the proposed amendments based on 63 submissions made.
But Daily Trust reports that only 45 papers were registered at the close of the hearing last Thursday.
Apart from Dunmoye, other groups and individuals listed to have supported third term during the hearing were Kogi state government, Plateau state Youth Forum, Kogi Youth Democratic Front and other Youth Vanguards and the National Association of Nigerian Students.
Those listed to have opposed third term in their submissions to the hearing were Mr. Dogara Adamu and Niger state.
Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday suspended plenary session for one week to enable members of the constitution review committee participate in a five-day retreat starting Sunday in Port Harcourt.
Senate's spokesman, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, said this at the end of the closed door session yesterday.
He said 40 of the 109 senators are members of the Ibrahim Mantu committee and that they should be given the chance to participate in the exercise fully.
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