Jonathan’s single term proposal: unveiling of a grand delusion.

CPC PRESS RELEASE

27 July 2011

The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) views with utter disgust the bill from President Goodluck Jonathan to the National Assembly on Constitutional amendment for a Single term of Seven (7) years for President and Governors. As a way to get the ‘buy-in’ of the Legislators, Mr. President has also sought to slightly increase the renewable terms for Legislators at both State and Federal levels from the subsisting four years.

Though the President predicated his proposal as  “borne out of a patriotic zeal, after a painstaking study and belief that the constitutionally guaranteed two terms for Presidents and Governors is not helping the focus of Governance and institutionalization of democracy at this stage of our development.”  Nothing can be more mendacious and delusory! Chapter 2 of the subsisting constitution deals with the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy with section 14 accentuating the fact of  “Sovereignty belonging to the people and from whom Government derives its powers.” It was the good intention of the drafters of the Nation’s Constitution to compulsorily make the Political rulers to always return to the people for renewal of their mandate as an incentive to meritorious performance and good Governance. This is why the proposal of Mr President is Preposterous, immoral and ludicrous.

As a way to amass the support of the citizenry, the President had declared, “If the proposed amendment is accepted by the National Assembly, the President assures that he will not in any way be a beneficiary.” Unfortunately, the priors of the President as a public officer do not show a man that should ever be trusted.

What is evident is that the PDP as a party has short-changed the Nigerian people. Was this part of the agenda that was concealed before the April Elections? For a Government that is failing in all parameters of Good governance to be contemplating on ‘subtle’ tenure elongation (within three months of inauguration) is an affront on the people’s Sovereignty! This, we believe, must stridently be resisted by the good People of Nigeria.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Rotimi Fashakin. (Engr.)

National Publicity Secretary.