Posted by By ABDULFATAH OLADEINDE, Lagos, and ISMAIL OMIPIDAN, Abuja on
Governors scheming for extension of President Olusegun Obasanjo's tenure beyond May, next year reconvened for another meeting on Monday night to review events and perfect moves to mobilize Federal and state legislators for the project.
• Senators move against Mantu
Governors scheming for extension of President Olusegun Obasanjo's tenure beyond May, next year reconvened for another meeting on Monday night to review events and perfect moves to mobilize Federal and state legislators for the project.
However, arrowhead of the project in the senate, Ibrahim Mantu, seems to be in fresh trouble, as some of his colleagues in the upper house of the National Assembly are gunning for his head.
The Monday meeting, presided over by the chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih was attended by seven governors including Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (Kaduna), Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi (Katsina), Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi (Nasarawa), Dr Peter Odili (Rivers), Dr Olusegun Agagu (Ondo), Alhaji Abubakar Idris (Kogi) and Alhaji Adamu Mua'zu (Bauchi).
Five governors who attended the last meeting did not show up. They were chief Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), Chief James Ibori (Delta), Rev. Jolly Nyame (Taraba) and Dr Bukola Saraki (Kwara).
Although there was no explanation for the absence of the five governors, Chief Anenih, according to Daily Sun sources, expressed disappointment that not all the governors who graced the previous meeting turned up.
Besides the governors, arrowheads of the third term project in the senate, Ibrahim Mantu and Dalhatu Tafida as well as some chairmen of the constitution review zonal public hearing attended the meeting.
Daily Sun further gathered that the meeting, which began at 9.00 p.m and was still on by midnight discussed how to mobilize the National Assembly and the states Houses of Assembly's support for the third term bid.
Another issue, which sources said featured at the meeting was the garnering of funds to finance the project.
The Mantu-led committee on constitution review had last week approved a third-term of four years for the president and state governors as one of the changes to be effected in the 1999 constitution.
Members of the committee have since their return to Abuja been speaking on how their shocking verdict of tenure extension was arrived at.
It was gathered that while the committee's assignment lasted in Omagwa, on the outskirts of Port Harcourt members were metaphorically on a leash held by Chief Anenih who was around throughout, shadowing deliberation as an unofficial chairman.
Besides Anenih, Senators Mantu and Ugochukwu Uba kept a daily tab on happenings, with presidency top contacts phoning in at least four times daily.
According to sources, Senators Idris Kuta, Uche Chukwumerije, Dansadau and other anti-third term lawmakers made the costly mistake of staying away when vote on the matter was taken.
And having succeeded in getting the third term into the constitution review committee report, the proponents were said to be launching into another battle at the National Assembly with security men moving in last weekend and taking away vouchers and other records of payment.
It is believed that the attempt was taken to lay hands on incriminating evidence that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) might hold against senators and House of Representative members, just as was done with governors to secure their endorsement of the third term.
Already governors have begun to summon federal legislators from their states to impress it upon them to support the third term project.
Records of such meeting held respectively by the Taraba and Kogi State governors indicated that only two of the former state's lawmakers pledged compliance with Revd Nyame's request.
Also, senators opposed to third term are already holding secret meetings to plot the removal of some principal officers of the senate whom they see as promoting the third term agenda.
Daily Sun gathered that already, plans have reached an advanced stage to remove the deputy senate president, Senator Nasir Ibrahim Mantu, from his exalted position. Sources further disclosed that one of such meetings would be held this week, where the senators are expected to perfect the final onslaught.
One of the senators who vowed to ensure that the plot sails through was quoted as saying that ' there is a strong discontent among senators concerning him( Mantu). So I will be ready to support any move to remove him."
Meanwhile the Alliance For Democracy (AD) senators are equally moving to remove the senate deputy minority whip, Senator Isiaka Ajimobi, for allegedly working for the realization of the third term project.
Ajimobi, who is the only AD senator from Oyo State, occupies the position as a representative of the AD
By Tuesday afternoon, AD senators were said to be going round their colleagues, especially in the ANPP to lobby them to support the move to remove Ajimobi from office.
As at the time of filing this report, effort to reach both Mantu and Ajimobi proved abortive.