Buhari Signs into Law Bill Sponsored by Lasun Yussuff
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law a bill that bars any person who has acted as president or governor for a period of two years from seeking election to serve beyond one term of four years in office.
The bill was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yussuff Suleiman, who doubles as the Chairman, House Ad Hoc Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution.
Lasun Yussuff had during the debate on the bill said:
“No person who has held office of president or governor of a state or acting as president or governor of a state for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected president or governor, shall be elected to the office of president or governor of a state more than once.”
Lasun, who is also the chairman of the ad hoc committee on constitution review, explained that the aim of the bill is to give constitutional protection to the two- term tradition . He added that by virtue of the provisions of sections 137 ( 1 ) ( b ) and 182 ( 1 ) ( b ) of the constitution , the president and governor of a state shall serve in those capacities for a maximum period of eight years.
He further argued that the constitution equally envisaged circumstances where a person can be chosen to act as president or governor, including when the president or a governor resigns, dies or is impeached.
This amendment, he said, was inspired by the 22nd amendment to the constitution of the United States which provides: “No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice and no person who has held office of president or acted as president for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected president shall be elected to the office of president more than once."
It is no doubt that this bill will make key changes to pre and post election laws in Nigeria. The new law will prohibit what happened in 2010 and 2011 to reoccur where Goodluck Jonathan who succeeded President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua contested and won the presidential election and still contested same office in 2015.
It is very essential to appreciate the tirelessly efforts of our lawmakers for the sponsored bills and Mr. President for the assent to the bills.