I will never advocated third term for Buhari – Lawan

Ebun Francis| Ahmad Lawan, Nigeria’s Senate President on Tuesday distanced himself from a tweet that quoted him to have said he is open to a constitutional amendment that will allow unlimited term of office for the president if President Muhammadu Buhari wishes to remain in office beyond 2023.

But in a statement by his media aide, Ola Awoniyi, Lawal who denied ever making such a statement before or after 2019, said he stands by the constitutional provision of the two-term limit for the President and will never subscribe any move to amend it.

“The 1999 Constitution has a firm position on the tenure of the President that reflects the popular stand of Nigerians, the Senate President said.

“Section 137(1)b states as follow: A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if (b) he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections.

“The Senate President has never found anything wrong in that provision of the Constitution and has always stood firmly by it.

“It bears recalling that Lawan was a member of the National Assembly when in 2006 it threw out an attempt to amend that section of the Constitution and elongate the tenure of the President.

“The National Assembly acted then in obedience to the overwhelmingly popular desire of Nigerians.

“It is therefore ludicrous to imagine that Lawan would ever be in the vanguard of any such misadventure that is again certain to fail if ever pursued again.

“The Senate President stands by the well-considered and roundly appreciated provision of the Constitution on the issue and will never subscribe to any move to amend it.

“We, therefore, enjoin members of the public to ignore the old fabricated statement mischievously attributed to the Senate President and now being circulated by mischief makers,” the statement concluded.