A former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said members of the House of Representatives have thrown away a baby together with the bath water. Atiku, a former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said in a statement by his Special Advise on Media, Paul Ibe, that he was displeased with the speed with which the six-year single term proposal for president and governors was rejected by the House of Representatives.

“I am disappointed by the fact that the lawmakers have thrown away the baby with the bath water at the expense of the larger interest of the country,” he said. “In view of the challenges facing our current democratic order, especially the culture of rigging that subverts the will of the people, six-year single term would have ended such untoward practices in our electoral process ” Atiku added.

The former vice president said “the desperation for second term by the incumbents is the main reason why they go for broke and set the rule book on fire, thereby making free and fair elections impossible by legitimizing rigging at the expense of their challengers that have no access to public funds. “A situation where the incumbents deploy more public resources to their second term projects than using the funds for people’s welfare encourages massive rigging that undermines electoral integrity. “Six-year single term would remove such desperation and enable the incumbents concentrate on the job for which they were elected in the first place.

“Eight-year term of office rewards incompetence because even incumbents that have failed would use their access to public funds to return to power by fair or foul means. “I don’t agree with the logic that eight years would give elected leaders better opportunity to fulfill their campaign promises. An inherently incompetent incumbent will perform below average even if you give him/her 20 years in office or give him or her $20 billion dollars.”

CsRockefeller:
Wasn't this also proposed by Jonathan that everyone shouted him down?

Our hatred of a certain tribe won't allow us see d truth.

kenzo25:
How I wish Atiku is in government now, he will also reject the bill because he too wanted 8yrs. 4+4

CsRockefeller:
Wasn't this also proposed by Jonathan that everyone shouted him down?

Our hatred of a certain tribe won't allow us see d truth.

seunmsg:


And was it not also thrown out now that a northerner is is the president? Should Buhari’s tribe also start crying of hatred?

festacman:
I stand with ex-VP Atiku Abubakar on this issue. If anything, he should use his network, goodwill and clout to spearhead the re-introduction and passing of this single 6-year Executive tenure amendment bill. Enough of utilizing first two years out of four for governance and last two years for politicking that focuses on reelection bid or imposition of successor. It is shortchanging us as a people.

It is worrisome that the members of House of Representatives (HOR) showed shortsightedness and infantile panic in rejecting this innovation without elaborate and exhaustive debate involving even extra-legislative stakeholders. Throwing out the bill because members are scared that some people would accuse them of promoting 3rd term for President Buhari sounds DUMB to say the least. By the way, having a 2nd term president presents best opportunity for such amendment as the constitutional amendment would be crafted to inherently disqualify any 2nd term president or governor from benefiting

We don't have to wait for Americans to do something before we adopt. Let's do what works for us. Even the the issue of ROTATIONAL PRESIDENCY should be examined properly and be adopted if it would stabilize our polity and engender national development. What about having for instance a 12-year National Development Plan that will be passed into law to keep the Executive focused. Lawmakers should think innovatively beyond constituency projects and allowances.

CsRockefeller:
Wasn't this also proposed by Jonathan that everyone shouted him down?

Our hatred of a certain tribe won't allow us see d truth.

reccy:
You spoke intelligently for the first time in your life..... I support single term of 6 years too that's after our darling president has finished his second tenure....