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HoR Rejects Bill Seeking 6 years single tenure for President, Governors

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By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives moved against a bill, seeking to amend the 1999 constitution to provide for a single term of six years for the Offices of the President, State Governors and Local Government Areas Chairmen.
The piece of legislation which was sponsored by Rep Ikenga Ugochinyere and 33 other lawmakers, seeks zonal rotation of presidential and governorship seats, as well as holding of the elections in one day.
Naijablitznews.com reports that the bill was read for the first time on July 17, 2024 on the floor of the House and was read for the second time on Thursday November 21, 2024, by the clerk of the House, but it didn’t scale through as members voted against the bill.
The proposed legislation seeks to alter  Sections 76,  116, 132, 136, and some others of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
According to the general principles of the bill, “these amendments was to ensure inclusive governance and to curb wastages occasioned by four year periodic elections.
“The bill among others seeks amendment of Section 132 of the Principal Act by inserting a new  subsection (2), deleting the extant subsection (4) and renumbering the entire section accordingly to provide that an election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be rotated between the North and the South regions of the country every six years.
“Other amendments include, Section 76 of the Principal Act is altered by inserting a new subsection (3) as follows; (3) For the Purposes of Section (1) of this section, all elections into the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly shall hold simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.
“Section 116 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting a new a subsection (3) as follows; < For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, all elections into the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Councils shall be held simultaneously on the same date to be determined by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in consultation with the National Assembly and in accordance with the Electoral Act.
“Section 132 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting a new é subsection (2), deleting the extant subsection (4) and renumbering the entire section accordingly: An election to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be rotated between the North and the South regions of the Country every six years. Provided that where it is the turn of the North or South to present a candidate for election into the office of President, it shall be rotated among the three geo-political zones that constitutes the regions. The extant subsection (2) becomes subsection (3) The extant subsection (3) becomes subsection (4) The extant subsection (4) is hereby deleted The extant subsection (5) remains subsection (5).
“Section 136 of the Principal Act is amended by deleting the a extant subsections 1 & 2 and replacing them with new subsections I, 2 and 3 as follows: If a person duly elected as President dies before taking and subscribing the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office. or is for any reason whatsoever unable to be sworn in, the person elected with him as First Vice President shall be sworn in as President and he shall appoint a new First Vice President with the approval by a simple majority of the National Assembly at a joint sitting.
“A person who was sworn in as Governor to complete the term for which another person was elected as Governor shall not be elected to such office for another term. The Principal Act is altered by inserting a new Section 188 immediately after the extant 187 and immediately before the extant 188 and renumbering accordingly as follows; 188(1) Notwithstanding any other provision, the Governor shall present a mid-term account of stewardship performance report to the State House of Assembly at the end of the third year of the six-year term. The State House of Assembly shall determine by a resolution supported by not less than two-third majority of members whether the Governor bas by the account of stewardship report justified his continuous stay in office.
“Where, upon the consideration of the mid-term report under subsection (1) of this section, the State House of Assembly is not satisfied with the performance of the Governor for the period he has been in office, the State House of Assembly shall pass a vote of no confidence on the Governor. The State House of Assembly shall immediately commence the process for the impeachment of the Governor from office.”
When the Bill was read and put to vote by the Speaker of the House, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the plenary session and the nays had it.

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$516m loan request: Tinubu’s borrowing bonanza mortgaging Nigeria’s future

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Legislators’ Forum has strongly condemned the latest move by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to secure Senate approval for an additional external loan of $516,333,070, ostensibly for the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway project. 

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the regional leaders of the Forum: Hon. Uko Ndukwe Nkole ,PhDChairmanADC -National Legislators’ Forum African  Democratic Congress (ADC)
Hon Nnenna Ukeje-SEHon Sergius Ogun-SSHon Ajagbe H -SWHon Zakari Mohammed -NCHon Koko Shehu -NWHon Maigari Bello M-NE stating that:
“This request is not only alarming but emblematic of an administration that has made reckless borrowing its default economic policy, with little regard for sustainability, accountability, or the wellbeing of future generations.

“While no responsible opposition undermines the importance of infrastructure development, we must ask: at what cost, and under what conditions? This government has failed to convincingly demonstrate that its endless appetite for loans is guided by a coherent, transparent, and economically viable repayment strategy. 

“Instead, Nigerians are witnessing a troubling pattern; one where debt accumulation is prioritized over prudent fiscal management, innovation, and domestic resource mobilization.

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“Nigeria is already weighed down by a crushing debt burden, with debt servicing swallowing a staggering proportion of national revenue. Yet, rather than confronting this reality with discipline and reform, the Tinubu administration continues to plunge the country deeper into what can only be described as a looming debt catastrophe. Each new loan tightens the noose around the nation’s economic sovereignty, leaving future generations to pay for today’s lack of foresight.

“Even more disturbing is the timing of this request. As the nation inches closer to a major general election cycle, Nigerians are right to question the motives behind this borrowing spree.

” Is this truly about development, or is it another attempt to create avenues for political patronage and electoral advantage? History has taught us to be wary of last-minute, large-scale financial commitments made under the guise of national interest.

“The ADC Legislators’ Forum insists that the National Assembly must not act as a rubber stamp or Pro group of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in this matter. 

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“The Senate, in particular, must rise to its constitutional responsibility by demanding full disclosure of the project’s financial details, procurement processes, cost-benefit analysis, and a credible repayment plan. 
“Anything short of this would amount to a betrayal of public trust.

“Furthermore, we call on the administration to redirect its focus toward policies that can genuinely strengthen Nigeria’s economy; policies that promote productivity, industrial growth, job creation, and the plugging of revenue leakages. 

“Borrowing should never be a substitute for leadership, creativity, and accountability.

“We must clearly state that governance is not a free ride without consequences. Those who make decisions today that endanger the economic future of millions of Nigerians must understand that a day of reckoning will inevitably come. The Nigerian people will demand answers, accountability, and justice for policies that have deepened hardship and mortgaged the nation’s destiny.

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“Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads. We can either choose the path of responsibility, discipline, and sustainable growth, or continue down this perilous road of debt dependency and economic vulnerability. The Tinubu administration must decide where it stands; but Nigerians are watching, and history will not be kind to those who fail this nation.

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ISWAP commander, 24 others killed as troops repel Kukareta attack in Borno

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At least one ISWAP fighter has been captured alive while top commander identified as Abu Umar Bundi Munzir has been neutralised alongside 24 other insurgents in Borno.

The development followed a foiled coordinated attack on Kukareta community in Borno by troops of Operation HADIN KAI.

Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, Theartre Commander, North East Operation Hadin Kai, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Maiduguri on Thursday, while providing situational update on the failed attack by ISWAP terrorists.

NAN report that the insurgents launched the attack in the early hours of Thursday, shortly after midnight, in an attempt to overrun the location but were decisively engaged by troops of Sector 2 in a sustained counter-offensive that lasted till about 3;00 a.m.

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Abubakar said that during the encounter, the terrorists’ commander, Abu Umar Bundi Munzir, was reportedly among those neutralised as troops repelled the assault and forced the remaining attackers into a disorganised withdrawal.

The theartre commander also confirmed that a total of 24 other terrorists were killed in the operation, bringing the overall neutralised figure to 25.

”Troops subsequently conducted exploitation of the battlefield, leading to the recovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition, including 18 AK-47 rifles, three General Purpose Machine Guns, two PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns and three RPG tubes.

”Others include two mortar tubes, four hand grenades, 18 AK-47 magazines, and large quantities of belted 7.62mm ammunition,” he said.

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According to him, two soldiers sustained gunshot wounds during the encounter and have since been stabilised, while an armoured reinforcement vehicle had its tyres damaged during the firefight.

He added that further exploitation operations were ongoing to recover fleeing terrorists bodies, and abandoned equipment along withdrawal routes reportedly marked by blood trails and medical items.

The commander described the operation as a significant success in ongoing counter-insurgency efforts, noting that sustained pressure would be maintained to deny terrorist elements freedom of action in the North-East theatre.

(NAN)

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APC Shifts Presidential and Governorship Primaries

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The All Progressives Congress has officially rescheduled its presidential and governorship primary elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko, announced the change in Abuja this Thursday, stating that the presidential primary earlier slated for May 15 and 16 will now hold on May 23, 2026, while the governorship primaries are set for May 21.

Meseko explained that the adjustment was made to align with the revised timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission and the 2026 Electoral Act.

The party also confirmed that nomination forms will be available to all interested aspirants starting this Saturday, April 25 to Saturday, May 2, with no exclusive reservations for any individuals.

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