Atiku writes National Assembly, proposes six-year term for President

PUNCH

A former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has written to the National Assembly, requesting an amendment to the Constitution to allow for a six-year single term for the President and state governors.

In a memorandum to the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review, Atiku also proposed that the presidency be rotated between the North and South.

It is noteworthy that during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s presidency, he advocated for a six-year single term for the presidential seat.

Following the 2023 general elections, Atiku has continued to support this tenure proposal.

He stated, “The office of the President shall rotate among the six geopolitical zones of the federation on a single term of six years, flowing between the North and South on the single term of six years respectively.”

Atiku urged the National Assembly to “amend Section 135(2) to read: ‘Subject to the provisions of subsection (1), the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of six years.’”

Additionally, he proposed the “substitution of an aspirant” in Section 285(14)(a) with “a voter.”

The former Vice President also suggested that the minimum educational qualification for a person to run for election should be the Ordinary National Diploma instead of the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. He proposed an amendment to Section 65(2)(a) to read: “He has been educated up to at least Ordinary National Diploma in any recognised academic institution.”