JONATHAN READY TO FORGO SECOND TERM IF SENATE PASSES 6-YEAR SINGLE TERM LAW - PRESIDENCY

The Presidency on Wednesday said President Goodluck Jonathan will drop his ambition to run for second term in 2015 only if the Senate passed the president's proposal for a single non-renewable six-year tenure for President and State governors into law. Here's what the President’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak, said;

“Nigerians will remember that it was President Jonathan that suggested an idea of a single term tenure from the beginning. So if the proposal becomes a law, the credit should go to the President. If it becomes a law and is enshrined in our constitution, the President and everybody will be bound by the provision of that law. Let us wait and see what happens. We are not seeing the move as a way of stopping President Jonathan from re-contesting in 2015. The law cannot be made because of one individual. When it takes effect, everybody will be bound by it.”

 The proposal by the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution had recommended non-renewable single six year tenure for the offices of President, Vice-President, governors and their deputies. The Senate panel’s recommendation however, disqualifies Jonathan and incumbent governors from benefitting from the new arrangement if the recommendation becomes law. If passed into law, Jonathan will not be eligible to contest the 2015 presidential election.