JUST IN: New update emerges on bill seeking 6-year single term for president, governors

• On July 17, the House of Representatives passed the first reading of a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution, proposing a single six-year term for the President, State Governors
• Sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere and 50 other lawmakers, the bill seeks to revise Sections 7, 135, 137, 180, and 182 (1) of the Constitution
• Key amendments include a new six-year term for Local Government Chairmen, Presidents, and Governors, among others

FCT, Abuja—On Wednesday, July 17, the House of Representatives passed the first reading of a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution to establish a single six-year term for the President, State Governors, and Local Government Area Chairmen.

This change is intended to reduce the waste associated with the current four-year election cycle.

Reps take bill proposing 6-year tenure for president, governors, and LGA 6 years, to second reading. Photo credit: @Naija_PR
Source: Twitter

Sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency in Imo State, along with 50 other lawmakers, the proposed bill seeks to revise Sections 7, 135, 137, 180, and 182 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Punch reported.

What does the bill entail?

As reported by The Nigerian Tribune, specifically, Clause 2 aims to amend Section 7 of the Principal Act by adding a new subsection (5) after the current subsection (4) and before the existing subsection (5), stating:

“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 proposes to amend Section 135, subsections (2), (2A), and (3) of the Principal Act by changing the term length from "four" to "six" years.

“(2) In accordance with subsection (1), the President must leave office after a single six-year term, beginning on the date when — (a) a person first elected as President under this Constitution takes the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office; and (b) in any other instance, the most recently elected individual under this Constitution takes the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office, or would have taken these oaths if not for his death.“(2A) When determining the six-year term, if a re-run election occurs and the initially sworn-in person wins, the time spent in office before the election was annulled will be included."

Clause 4 aims to amend Section 137 of the Principal Act by removing paragraph (b) and appropriately renumbering the remaining sections.

Clause 5 of the proposed legislation seeks to amend Section 180 of the Principal Act by replacing the current subsections 2 and 3 with new versions of these subsections.

It reads:

“(2) Subject to subsection (1), the Governor shall leave office after a single six-year term, starting from the date when — (a) a person first elected as Governor under this Constitution takes the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office; and (b) the most recently elected person to that office takes the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office or would have taken such oaths if not for his death."

Clause 5 of the bill seeks to amend Section 182 (1) by deleting paragraph (b) and renumbering appropriately, Nigerian Tribune reported.

Reps pass bill to create a new state

In another development, Legit.ng reported that the bill to create another state in the Southeast region passed a second reading in the House of Representatives on Thursday, July 11.

The bill seeks to create an "Etiti state" from the five South-Eastern states and was sponsored by Amobi Ogah (LP, Abia), Miriam Onuoha (APC, Imo), Kama Nkemkama (LP, Ebonyi), Chinwe Nnabuife (YPP, Anambra), and Anayo Onwuegbu (LP, Enugu).

Source: Legit.ng