2023: No plan for third term, Buhari
Says Nigeria’s constitution bars him from going beyond two terms as president
News
President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that the nation’s constitution statutorily barred him from going beyond two terms as President.
This is just as he said he was looking forward to leaving office by May 29, 2023.
Speaking yesterday, during a courtesy visit to the palace of Emir of Lafia, retired Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad 1, the President stressed that he has no intention whatsoever to stay beyond the constitutionally recognised two terms of office as leader of Nigeria.
He said: ”The traditional ruler is on a terminal appointment. Constitutionally, we (elected public office holders) are not. I cannot go beyond two terms and I have sworn by the Holy Quran that I will uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
According to him, leaders who take the oath of office, swearing with the Holy Book, must be careful not to abuse the trust of leadership placed on them by the people and God.
”Politics apart, whenever we are made to swear by the Holy Quran, we have to be very careful. We must make sure that we do not abuse the trust God has given us as leaders.
”I have seen former governors here and I am looking forward to also becoming a former president,” he said.
Buhari thanked the people of Nasarawa State for the rousing welcome, expressing delight that the north-central state was wearing a new look since his last visit in 2019.
He congratulated the immediate past Governor and Senator representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura and the incumbent, Governor Abdullahi Sule for the laudable initiatives and accomplishments in the state.
Welcoming the president to the over 200-year old palace, the Emir of Lafia thanked him for ending the problem of insufficient power to Nasarawa State with the provision of 330kVA sub-station.
The Emir, who is also the Chairman, Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, told the president that the provision of the electricity plant, ”has taken out 80 percent of our problem.”
”Our people have never had it so good. Our people are back to their normal life as entrepreneurs, ” he said, adding that the federal government projects that were, ”standing as ghosts” in the state in the past have now become a reality.
The monarch listed the newly inaugurated CBN Building in Lafia, the Federal Secretariat, UBEC Smart School and completed Ecological projects, just to mention but a few.
On arrival in the capital for a two-day State visit to Nasarawa state, Buhari inaugurated the Lafia Airport, Vocational and Skills Acquisition Centre, Modern Bus Terminal and the Shinge-Barkini Abdullahi-Kilema road, executed by the State Government.
He also inaugurated CBN Lafia Branch building and a 330kva Akurba Transmission Substation executed by the Federal Government through the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to boost power supply in the state and its environs.
On Politics
APC stakeholders rage over Adamu’s ‘selection’ as party chairman
By Adamu Abuh, Abuja
Senator Abdullahi Adamu
• Direct members to disregard ‘undemocratic’ move
• CECPC appoints zonal congress committees
Some stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have expressed disappointment over the reported endorsement of Senator Abdullahi Adamu by the Presidency.
Members of the Governor Atiku Bagudu-led Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) have also endorsed Adamu.
A source privy to the decision said the top echelons of the party have zoned the seat to the north-central geopolitical zone where Adamu hails from.
This was as the Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), yesterday, appointed committees for the party’s March 12 zonal congresses.
CECPC Secretary, John Akpanudoedehe, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.
“The chairmen of the committees are all members of the CECPC, while secretaries are selected from among deputy governors from respective geopolitical zones.
“Meetings of zonal stakeholders hold on Saturday, February 26, at the respective geopolitical zones,” Akpanudoedehe said.
Adamu, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, served as a two-term governor of Nasarawa State between 1999 and 2007.
Senators Sani Musa (Niger), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), George Akume (Benue) and Salihu Mustapha (Kwara) are among other chairmanship aspirants from the north-central zone.
Already, governors from the zone are rallying support for Adamu ahead of the March 26 national convention of the party.
The governors held talks with Adamu Tuesday night, shortly after their meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Sources told The Guardian that APC governors from other geopolitical zones, including Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State, who are disposed to the choice, are already reaching out to party stalwarts across the country to achieve the goal.
A source said: “The President is in full support of the choice. He told the governors to work around a consensus arrangement, to pave way for Adamu to become the chairman of the party, in line with the tradition of the party.
“Don’t forget that this was how Adams Oshiomhole, Oyegun, and even Bisi Akande who chaired the party before now, emerged. So, there is nothing strange with the idea of consensus, since it is in line with the party’s constitution.”
The development, however, did not go down well with a section of the party, even as a group, the Concerned APC North-West Stakeholders, warned governors, especially from the region, that the move could destroy the party.
National convener of the group, Alhaji Sani Abubakar, expressed regrets that dropping Mr. President’s name, to promote a candidate over others is inimical to the party’s interest.
In a statement, the group said: “Stakeholders have become aware that members of the PGF from the northwest, who championed this errant position, are acting out their own greed and personal agenda, which is that each of them is hopeful of emerging the running mate to an eventual APC presidential candidate from the south.
“It is most unfortunate that people, who currently (individually) hold the mandate for the wellbeing of millions of people, as state governors, are unable to subjugate their selfish goals for national interest, party loyalty and the long-term stability of Nigeria’s democracy.
“It is tragic how these individuals overheated the polity simply out of desperation to occupy a position that is not zoned to their areas.
“All those pushing for a candidate from the north-central to be made a consensus chairman of the party, which had earlier been zoned to the northwest, are traitors and seem to only be interested in rubbishing Mr. President’s legacies in office by appending his name as a mark of approval to their plans.”
Also, All Progressives Congress Mandate Group (APC-MG) faulted the purported selection of Adamu.
In a statement in Abuja, the group, led by Alhaji Sani Abdullahi, warned against a few individuals arrogating powers to themselves by trying to decide the fate of the ruling party, without recourse to the teeming members across the country.
The group said APC members did not, at any time, meet with a view to picking Adamu as chairman.
The group argued there was no way selected persons, acting as a “cabal”, would take decisions on behalf of the APC founded on a recognised constitution, and with known organs that have responsibility for decisions at various stages.
It said: “The APC-MG noted with dismay, the purported endorsement of Adamu as national chairman of APC and the reported zoning of the party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 elections to the south.
“The APC Mandate Group has consequently directed party members and Nigerians to disregard the purported endorsement of Adamu as chairman and the zoning of APC presidential ticket.
“Decision on the APC presidential flag bearer is something beyond Nasir el-Rufai or Kayode Fayemi or Mohammed Badaru, who are only entitled to one vote each when it is time for elections.
“Party members would not have, at any time, treated Adamu as a top contender for its national leadership, when he woefully failed to unite the party in the simple task as chairman of the APC reconciliation committee.
Courtesy The Guardian