Constitution review: Senators reject six-year single tenure, support LG autonomy

Senators on Tuesday rejected the six-year single term proposed for the president and governors by the Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution.
The senators, however, supported financial autonomy for local government councils through the abolition of the States/Local Government Joint Accounts.
This followed the Senate’s consideration of the report on the review of the 1999 Constitution geared to further amend some provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The senators said the six-year single term proposal would stifle the power of the people to make elected officials accountable through periodic elections.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Isa Galaudu (PDP-Kebbi) said that the proposal was retrogressive and would not be useful to assess the performance of elected officials while in office.
Galaudu said: “It is retrogressive because it won’t give motivation and punishment for good or poor performance.”
In his contribution, Senator Ahmed Lawan, (ANPP-Yobe) said any attempt to alter the current tenure arrangement would be disastrous to the nation.
Lawan said: “Six-year single term is an investment in disaster.
“The four-year two terms should be maintained as power to re-elect resides with the people.
“There should be separation of local government joint accounts and to ensure autonomy of the state legislature.”
Senator Ali Ndume (PDP-Borno), who also opposed the proposal, canvassed for the inclusion of mid-term elections to spur elected officials to be more accountable to the people.
Ndume said: “We should be able to think of a mid-term election where candidates will go to state before their people and tell them what they have done and what they are planning to do.
“We cherish democracy but we run away from elections.
“Immunity for elected officials should be thrown out of the constitution.”
Senator Clever Ikisikpo (PDP-Bayelsa) said the current tenure should be maintained as obtainable in the American presidential system which Nigeria’s democracy was tailored after.
Ikisikpo said: “Nigeria copied democracy from America and they have been maintaining the system.
“So, let us retain what we have been using from day one.
“Autonomy for local government council would fasten development at the grassroots.”
Also speaking, Senator Mohammed Magoro (PDP-Kebbi) said: “Six-year single term is not in the good interest of the country.”
Magoro argued against the creation of state police, saying it would be abused by the managers.
Senator Adamu Gumba (PDP-Bauchi), in his contributions, said the six-year single tenure, if allowed, would encourage corruption.
Gumba said his constituents disagreed with the removal of immunity clause from the constitution.
Senator Gyang Pwajok (PDP-Plateau) submitted that the six-year single term should only be considered if the office of the president was made rotational.
Pwajok called for the creation of state Police to strengthen community policing to guaranty the safety of lives and property.
Similarly, Senator Victor Lar (PDP-Plateau) said his constituents were against the six-year single term.
Lar said there was the need to reconsider the creation of state police, which had become necessary due to the high crime rate in the country.
Senator Abdulminu Hasan (PDP-Jigawa) said that the six-year single term would foster dictatorship.
Hassan argued that Nigeria was not yet mature for the creation of state police and added that traditional rulers should not be given any constitutional role.
Senator Robert Boroffice (ACN- Ondo) said: “Six-year single term would bring broad corruption and provide emperors in leadership.”
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia) said that a major problem in Nigeria was the failure of government officials to adhere to the provisions of the constitution.
Abaribe said: “The country does not have problem with inadequacy of laws.
“It is the operators of the constitution that have refused to do what is right.
“We should rather find ways to strengthen and empower our institutions to implement laws.”
Debates on the constitution amendment would continue on Wednesday while voting on the recommendations was reserved for Thursday.