Jimisayo Opanuga
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has rejected a proposed bill seeking a six-year single term for the president and state governors, describing it as “anti-democratic” and an attempt to stifle people’s choice.
The bill, proposed by 35 members of the House of Representatives under the auspices of reform-minded legislators, seeks to reduce the cost of governance and promote the rotation of the presidency among the six geopolitical zones, coupled with the era of two vice presidents to represent the South and North divide.
However, NANS, reacting to the bill, condemned the proposal, calling it a “smokescreen” to divert attention from the current economic hardships faced by Nigerians.
NAN’s National Clerk of the Senate, Yekini Adewale, who described the bill as “a smokescreen” when speaking at a press conference in Ogun State on Thursday, said that if the bill is passed into law, then the country’s democracy is in total jeopardy.
Adewale added that the bill would erode accountability, probity, transparency and responsibility on the part of political leaders.
He also noted that removing the second term from the constitution is synonymous with extinguishing the only power the electorate has to vote out any non-performing president or governor and threatened to mobilise students across the country in a protest against the bill.
Adewale stated, “Yes, democracy thrives on the pedestal of a synergy between the three arms of government, but when a key arm, such as the legislature, proposes bills and peradventure passes laws that stifle people’s choices or throw spanners in the wheel of the tenets of democracy, then, it is disheartening and must not be allowed.
“NANS, as a non-governmental organisation and the only pressure group that has been agitating for the continued survival and sustainability of our hard-earned democracy from being truncated, does not only condemn the proposed bills but call on Nigerians to move against such step aimed at achieving a selfish agenda by some unscrupulous politicians.
“If the proposed bills are allowed to see the light of the day, then, our democracy is in total jeopardy.
“Any president or governor who realises that he cannot seek a second term in office, may rather busy himself feathering his own nest instead of delivering good governance to the electorate.
“Expunging the second term from our constitution is synonymous to extinguishing the only power the electorate has to vote out any non-performing president or governor.
“As a student body in the country, we shall mobilise our members massively against these bills seeking to efface accountability, probity, transparency and responsibility from the elected executives and lawmakers.
“To further demonstrate our rejection of these anti-democratic, anti-people and anti-progress bills, a day will be set aside for Nigerian students to embark on a mass march against the National Assembly.”
