Posted by COSMAS EKPUNOBI, Abuja on
DESPITE repeated denials that President Olusegun Obasanjo would not succeed himself in 2007, more reactions are still coming from concerned Nigerians.
DESPITE repeated denials that President Olusegun Obasanjo would not succeed himself in 2007, more reactions are still coming from concerned Nigerians.
The latest is coming from Senator Kanti Bello (Katsina) who declared that mere contemplation of third term, either by the president or his supporters is madness and a recipe for anarchy in the country.
Senator Bello in an exclusive interview with Sunday Champion in Abuja at the weekend maintained that Senators would oppose such idea if presented, the same manner the president's hand picked delegates to the just-concluded National Political Reform Conference resisted the plot.
Insisting that third term was unconstitutional, Senator Bello advised President Obasanjo and advocates of self-succession to see "the rejection of six-year-single term by the conference as the end of the road."
According to him, attempts to impose third term on Nigerians spell doom for this country."
"To endorse third term is the beginning of an end because the idea would spell doom for Nigeria."
"Even his hand picked delegates to the conference rejected this, and if that is the case, how then would anybody think that the National Assembly which is made up of elected representatives of the people accept such."
Besides, Senator Bello said there is no way such thing would sail through in Senate and President Obasanjo will not even dare to bring up the issue in the first place to us for consideration because that will be a disaster."
"No way for third term bid for anybody and any person clamouring for it should forget it, because that amounts to madness."
According to the senator, the extension of President Obasanjo's tenure would amount to gross violation of the 1999 Constitution which provided for two terms in succession for governors and president.
According to him, the only serious move that would have betrayed the advocates of third term was the failed attempt to smuggle into the conference a new draft constitution which recommended six year single term for the president and governors.