Six-yr tenure: PDP to drive process … faces 2 opposing camps in govt

The Peoples Democratic    Party, PDP, is  the    proposed  vehicle to  be used by the proponents of the  controversial move on the six-year single term  for the president and state governors, to push the process of amending the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sunday Vanguard can reveal.

There were also indications at the weekend that the issue has split the Presidency into two camps. There are those rooting for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to take the risk of arranging the six-year tenure move such that he could be a beneficiary. Others are cautioning against it.

The president has said he is consulting but the disagreement among his loyalists in government was said to have forced him into a dilemma on the issue.

Jonathan, last Thursday, clarified his position on the matter at the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the PDP where he made it clear that the idea was not his own. Those cautioning the president are  made up of those  insisting that he should play the statesman and not be drawn into seeking to contest for the six-year single term if the constitution amendment  is passed while others  are of the view that there was nothing wrong if he decides to contest on the basis of the amendment.

Sunday Vanguard was told, last Friday, by one of the leaders of the party from the South-South geo-political zone that the early national convention of the PDP, slated for February next year, would “possibly mark the commencement of the process for the actualization of the amendment of the constitution to accommodate the intended amendment of the proposed bill”.

The reason for this, the source explained, “is because President Jonathan would have completed his consultations by then and it would be left for the party to drive the process.  Any attempt by President Jonathan to drive the process may be misread by members of the public as proof-positive that he wants to benefit from the proposed amendment.

“Once the party has elected its officers into the new NEC, with the national chairman emerging from the North-east geo-political zone (and the office of the president still retained in the South-south), it would be the responsibility of the NEC members to sell the plausibility of the amendment to state governors and leaders of the party across the nations.

“Mind you, the PDP is still not short of the two thirds  requirement concerning state assemblies needed to endorse whatever has been passed by the National Assembly and it would be the responsibility of the new leadership of the party across the country to properly articulate the benefits of the amendment to the nation as a whole”, the source further explained.

After a proper nationwide sensitization, Sunday Vanguard  understands  that the National Assembly would swing into action immediately the proposal has been presented to it.
On the face of it, “the idea might appear to come with the benefit of doing away with the acrimony that normally accompanies re-election, but if the attitude of politicians does  not change, the crisis of succession might itself be as bad if not worse than what we are trying to avoid”, the source cautioned. “And that is why it  is  better if the party drives the process”.

However, within the Presidency, there are those who are now being referred to as the hawks and whose position is that  Jonathan would not be flouting any law in the event that the amendment is done in his favour  and he seeks to contest.
Their position is hinged on the fact that without the proposed amendment, the president is entitled to seek re-election under the current order and, therefore, should not be denied that right because the constitution is being amended.

“In fact, it can also be argued that those proposing the amendment and trying to bar President Jonathan can also be accused of deliberately wanting to deny Mr. President the opportunity of doing a second term”, one of those referred to as the hawks in the Villa  said.

On the other hand, however, are those who are of the view that the president  should just tread softly, gauge the mood and sentiments of Nigerians before attempting any further comments on the matter.