Constitutional amendment: Atiku proposes rotational presidency, 6-year single term, others

As the National Assembly commence another phase of review of 1999 Constitution as amended, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has forwarded to the Committee, some grey areas that should be amended in order to advance the course of constitutional democracy in Nigeria.

According to him, the amendment should be that the office of the president shall rotate among the six geopolitical zones of the federation on a single term of six years flowing between the North and South on the single term of six years respectively.

Atiku’s proposals, addressed to the Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Barau Jibrin, and dated 30th August 2024, contains recommendations that border on themes like procedures for the educational qualification of candidate(s) in elections, internal democracy in political parties and rotation of presidential position among the six (6) geo-political zones of the country.

He said that section 135(2) should be amended to read – “subject to the provisions of the subsection (1), the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of six years commencing from the date.

The 2023 Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the explanatory note covering the proposals, he said that  the amendments sought for  in the review of the constitution are  aimed  at seeking  to raise the standard of the educational qualification of political office seekers, an end to violent takeover of political parties and thereby strengthening internal structure of political parties.

Others are to reduce  the tendencies of political parties to breach the constitution, electoral act, rules and guidelines made thereunder, and the constitution of the political party.

He said, “The implication of the above is that political parties are allowed a very wide latitude to breach the perimeter of laws on elections.

“Such indiscipline by political parties and infidelity to the electoral parameters yield chaos in the system.

“The above amendments will enthrone the discipline that is needed in a democracy.".

Amend Section 137(1)(b) to read – “he has been elected to such office before.”

He said that the recommendations he  has put forth to the National Assembly for amendments in the country’s election laws are areas where there are pitfalls in the subsisting laws regulating elections in Nigeria.