PRESIDENT BUHARI
BUHARI SIGNS BILL STOPPING VICE-PRESIDENT, DEPUTY GOVS FROM SEEKING 2ND TERM
Vice – President, Deputy Governors have been disallowed from seeking 2nd term in office according to a Bill signed into Law by President Muhammadu Buhari . President Buhari yesterday signed a Constitution Alteration Bill Number 16 disallowing any vice-president or deputy governor who succeeds his boss on account of death or resignation from seeking 2nd term in office.
The bill, which was orchestrated by the experience of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who after succeeding the late President Umaru Yar’Adua contested elections twice.
While he won the first election, he was defeated at the second attempt but both the preparation for the election and the outcome heated the polity like furnace as it marked the first time an incumbent president was defeated.
Briefing journalists after the President’s assent, National Assembly Liason Officer, Ita Enang said contesting and winning elections the second time would amount to taking an oath of office the third time.
Enang also said Buhari signed Constitution Alteration Bill Number 21 which authorises the conclusion of disputes arising from the nomination of candidates for elections before the general election.
The Act puts paid to situations where a number of elected politicians had to be removed from office after being sworn-in.
With the President’s assent on the bill, situations which saw the declaration of former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as governor without contesting election as a result of lingering pre-election matters can no longer arise.
Enang said: “There is another of the Act which has come into force today. It’s Constitution amended number 21 which relates to the determination of pre-election matters.
“It has reduced the date and time of determining pre-election matters to ensure that pre-election matters in court do not get into the time of the elections and do not pend thereafter.
“The relevant sections of the constitution had also been amended by this Act, therefore amending the Constitution.
“The other one is Bill Number 16 which is now an Act and the intent of that Act is to ensure that where a vice president succeeds the president and where a deputy governor succeeds a governor, he can no more contest for that office more than once
“And the fact is that having taken the oath as president once, and you can only contest for once again and no more. That is the intent of this amendment.”
SOURCE – THISDAY