Posted by From ISMAIL OMIPIDAN, Abuja on
The die is cast and the battle-line seems drawn between the pro-third term and the anti-third term lawmakers in the National Assembly, with a vow from the opposing lawmakers not to relent in their struggle against the vexatious agenda until the bill which has passed through its first reading in the Senate was "killed and buried."
The die is cast and the battle-line seems drawn between the pro-third term and the anti-third term lawmakers in the National Assembly, with a vow from the opposing lawmakers not to relent in their struggle against the vexatious agenda until the bill which has passed through its first reading in the Senate was "killed and buried."
The group made the vow through its publicity committee at an interactive dinner with National Assembly Correspondents Friday night.
The 10-man committee comprises five members each from the two arms, with Senator Saidu Dansadau as chairman. Other members of the committee are: Senators Olrunmibe Mamora, Nuhu Aliyu, Sule yari Gandi and Ben Obi.
Others are: Honorables Faruk Lawan, Uche Onyagwocha, C.I.D Madunagwu, Haruna Yerima and Wumi Bewaji.
The members, who took their turn to speak, were unanimous in their position that those trying that to push the "Third Term" agenda are increasingly becoming desperate because "they have suddenly realized that they do not have the required number in the National Assembly to make the thing scale through."
While calling on the media to rise up to the challenges, Senator Mamora specifically said that if the late business mogul, Chief M.K.O Abiola were to be alive to benefit from the benevolence of other parts of Nigeria to the Yoruba race concerning the presidency, he would not have spent more than two term of four years as stipulated by the constitution.
Said the group: "Those of us against third term, we hold our meetings openly. Let the other group (pro) too be bold enough to canvass their positions openly to Nigerians. As we go on break, we know several ambushes will be laid for us. But we are ready to re-act appropriately. We will continue with the struggle until the bill is finally killed and buried in the National Assembly."
Meanwhile, the group has reeled out its programme of action to step up the campaign against third term. As part of the programme, the group is expected to visit the leadership of both the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Jamatul Nasir'ul Islam (JNI).