Bill On Power Rotation Passes First Reading In Senate
Taiwo Ayandeyi
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2024 on rotation of power among the geo-political zones, senatorial zones and federal constituencies for presidential, gubernatorial and senatorial elections, respectively, being sponsored by the senator representing Benue South Senatorial District and Senate Minority Leader, Abba Patrick Moro, on Wednesday, passed First Reading on the floor of the Senate.
The Bill seeks to alter the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) to make provisions for;
(1)(a) The office of the President of Nigeria to revolve round the six Geo-political Zones, with each state holding the office for a maximum of two terms of four years each, to give every section and state in Nigeria a sense of inclusion, participation and representation in Nigeria’s democracy.
(b) Any zone in Nigeria which has produced a President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be eligible to produce another President until the other zones have taken their turns.
(2)(a) The office of the governor of a state in Nigeria to revolve round all the three Senatorial Zones in the state, to give every indigene of the state a sense of inclusion, participation and representation in the development of the state.
(b) Every senatorial zone in a state which has produced a governor of that state in a democratically conducted election shall not be eligible to produce a governor unless and until other Senatorial Zones have produced governors of the state.
(3)(a)The senatorial election shall rotate round all the federal constituencies in the senatorial zone to give a sense of inclusion, participation and representation in the constituencies and to engineer social progress and development.
(3)(b) Every federal constituency in a senatorial district which has produced a senator shall not be eligible to produce a senator unless and until all other federal constituencies produce a senator.
(4)(a) Every local government which has produced a Member of House of Representatives shall not be eligible to produce a Member of House of Representatives upon cessation of tenure, unless and until all local governments in the federal constituency produce a Member of House of Representatives.
(b) Provided that the occupant of an office in (a) above shall have served a full term of four years or any number of terms that the electorate validated through an election
