ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has rejected a bill proposing a six-year single term for the President and state governors, calling it “anti-democratic” and an attempt to limit citizens’ choices.
NANS described the bill as a “smokescreen” to divert attention from the current economic challenges facing Nigerians.
The student body threatened to mobilize students across the country to protest against the bill, which they believe would erode accountability and transparency in government.
The bill, proposed by 35 members of the House of Representatives, seeks to reduce the cost of governance and rotate the presidency among the six geopolitical zones.
However, NANS argues that expunging the second term from the constitution would extinguish the electorate’s power to vote out non-performing leaders.
The student body called on Nigerians, pro-democracy groups, organized labor, and trade unions to join them in rejecting the bill.
READ ALSO: Reps Seek Six-Year Tenure For President, Govs
They vowed to mobilize massively against the bill and embark on a mass march against the National Assembly to demonstrate their rejection of the proposed legislation.
Speaking at a press conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Thursday, the National Clerk of the Senate of NANS, Yekini Adewale said that if the bill is passed into law, it would erode accountability, probity, transparency and responsibility on the part of political leaders.
“Yes, democracy thrives on the pedestal of a synergy between the three arms of the government, but when a key arm such as the legislature, proposes bills and peradventure, passes laws that stifle people’s choices or throw spanners at the wheel of the tenets of democracy, then, it is disheartening and must not be allowed.
“NANS as a non-governmental organisation and the only pressure group that has been agitating for the continued survival and sustainability of our hard-earned democracy from being truncated does not only condemn the proposed bills but calls on Nigerians to move against such step aimed at achieving a selfish agenda by some unscrupulous politicians.
“If the proposed bills are allowed to see the light of day, then, our democracy is in total jeopardy.
“Any president or governor who realises that he cannot seek a second term in office, may rather busy himself feathering his own neat instead of delivering good governance to the electorate.
“Expunging the second term from our constitution is synonymous with extinguishing the only power the electorate has to vote out any non-performing president or governor.
“As a student body in the country, we shall mobilise our members massively against these bills seeking to efface accountability, probity, transparency and responsibility from the elected executives and lawmakers.
“To further demonstrate our rejection of these anti-democracy, anti-people and anti-progress bills, a day will be set aside for Nigerian students to embark on a mass march against the National Assembly”, Adewale said.