President Goodluck Jonathan Indications have emerged that four parties and 28 Nigerians were behind President Goodluck Jonathan’s single term proposal.
This discovery is coming barely 24 hours after the President claimed that the proposal was not his idea.
It was also learnt that Jonathan was only the face of the innovation as the Chairman of Inter-Party Consultative Committee, which was one of the four committees that raised the electoral reform by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
These facts were contained in the Report of the Inter-Party Consultative Committee on Electoral Reform which was obtained by The Nation in Abuja yesterday.
The parties involved in the collation of the report, which recommended single tenure for President and governors, were the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA).
Apart from the President, the report contained the list of members of the 29-man committee which made the recommendation.
They were a former National Chairman of ANPP, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, Senator Mohammed Aruwa(ANPP North-West), Chief Kunle Ogunade (ANPP South-West), Chief Ugo Sam Okpara (ANPP, South-East), Khaleel Bolaji (ANPP North-Central), Senator A.A. Ibrahim (ANPP North- East) and Mr. J. Okongor (ANPP South- South).
The delegates from APGA included a former National Chairman of the party, Chief Chekwas Okorie; Abdullahi Mohammed; Barrister Abubakar Galadima; Barrister Bello Umar; Prince ANC Akanegbu; Chief Benji I. Duru and Benson Agada.
Those from the PDP were a former Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, who initially led the PDP delegation before he was replaced by his successor, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor.
After the exit of Ali, other members of the PDP in the team were Dr. Danladi Sankara; the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje; Senator Paul Wampana; Senator Yinka Omilani; ex-Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Bello Mohammed; Abubakar Magaji; Nze Fidelis Ochichukwu, and Chief G.U. Ake.
On its part, the PPA was represented by its former National Chairman, Chief Clement Ebri; Chief Emma Omokwe; Hajiya Mariam Ibrahim Baba; Baba Adi; Chief Samson Akiga; Chief Mrs. Remi Adiukwu-Bakare and AVM Anthony Okpere (rtd).
According to the report, Yar’Adua had established the Inter-Party Consultative Committee following the interactive session on Electoral Reform he convened on January 16, 2008.
The document claimed that the session was attended by governors, leaders of political parties, leadership of the National Assembly, security chiefs, traditional rulers and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The report said in part: “The interactive session was held in order to address the issues that arose from crises, which bedeviled the conduct of Local Government elections in many states.
“In the meeting, the President (the late Yar’Adua) directed the setting up of four committees viz: Governors, National Assembly, Security Chiefs and Inter-Party.
“The Vice-President (Jonathan) was directed to coordinate the Inter-Party Consultative Committee. Principally, the committee is to identify factors that militate against the conduct of free, fair and acceptable elections, as well as proffer practical solutions to these.
“Five leading political parties (parties that control at least one state government) were invited to nominate seven members each, including their respective national chairmen. All but the Action Congress (now ACN) positively responded and participated in the work of the committee.
“The Committee’s terms of reference were to: (i) Examine the factors militating against the conduct of free, fair and acceptable elections in Nigeria; (ii) Make appropriate recommendations that can ensure credible and acceptable electoral process; and (iii) Advise on any other relevant issue or proposal that is likely to improve the country’s electoral system.
“The Inter-Party Consultative Committee is therefore in a nutshell charged with the responsibility of collating and synthesising the aggregate views of the key players in Nigeria’s electoral processes. It was as such mandated to put forward what may be seen as the position of the leading elements among Nigeria’s ‘political class’ on electoral reform.”
According to the Report, the Inter-party Consultative Committee came up with a 21-page findings and recommendations.
The Report, signed by both President Goodluck Jonathan and the then Senior Special Assistant(Political) in the Office of the Vice-President, Dr. Akilu Sani Indabawa identified 24 factors militating against free and acceptable elections.
It also made nine recommendations, including a single tenure for the President, governors and Local Government chairmen.
The Report added: “The Committee exhaustively discussed terms of reference number 1. Members unanimously identified the following as the key factors that militate against the conduct of free and acceptable elections in Nigeria.
“These are incumbency factor; independence of electoral bodies; imposition of candidates by political parties; bodies that can disqualify candidates; thuggery; influence of money in politics, and selfish interest of politicians; role of security agencies; state electoral bodies; the phenomenon and practice of godfatherism; tenure of political office holders; operation role of electoral bodies; complete review of electoral laws; and role of media and civil society organisations.
“Others are mode of elections; compilation of results; election tribunal matter; registration of voters; funding of political parties; qualification of candidates; rotation of Executive offices; proportional representations in Executive appointments; and Gender-balancing in elective positions.”
In its nine-point recommendations, the Inter-Party Committee said in part as follows: “Adopting a single tenure system of seven (7) years for the President; six(6) years for governors and three (3) years for Local Government chairmen.
“Rotation of political offices should go beyond individual party arrangements and be included in Nigeria’s statute books. Presidency should rotate North-South and across the six geopolitical zones, governors among the three Senatorial zones.
“Adoption of Open Ballot System for all elections in the country to minimise election rigging and manipulation of results.
“Political parties that fail to win at least 2.5% of the seats in the National Assembly should be deregistered.
“The composition of Electoral Bodies must be such that as to ensure confidentiality, and should carry along all recognised political parties. The electoral bodies should be headed by retired or serving Supreme Court judges or Presidents of the Court of Appeal. Funding of the electoral bodies should be on first-line charge basis.
“A period of six months should be provided between dates of election and inauguration of elected officials to allow for disposal of all petitions and appeals arising from the election including re-run and/or runoff elections.”
A top source in the Presidency, who spoke in confidence, said: “The truth is that the single term tenure is not the making of the President. The Inter-Party Consultative Committee recommended it.
“And 70 per cent of the recommendations of the Inter-Party were accepted by the Electoral Reform Committee of Justice Muhammadu Uwais.
“The recommendation on single tenure was shelved because the health of the late President Yar’Adua did not allow him to undertake the needed consultations ahead of the completion of work by the Uwais Panel.
“So, the single tenure idea predated Jonathan’s emergence as the President. The decision to tinker with tenure of office of governors and the President starting from 2015 therefore has a long history,”
Culled from : The Nation
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