Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has proposed a series of amendments to the 1999 Constitution, including the rotation of the presidential power among the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
A statement by his media office on Wednesday, October 2, said Atiku made the proposals in a memorandum dated 30 August to the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Constitution Review.
According to the statement, Atiku, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, seeks the amendment of Section 130 (1) of the constitution to read: “The office of the president shall rotate among the six geopolitical zones of the Federation on a single term of Six Years flowing between the North and South on the single term of Six Years respectively.”
He also wants the amendment of Section 135 (2) of the document to read “subject to the provisions of the subsection (1), the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of Six Years commencing from the date.”
Atiku’s proposals come about four months after some members of the House of Representatives proposed a bill to introduce rotation of the presidency between the North and the South as well as the creation of a second vice president.
The lawmakers, known as “The Reformers” led by Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo), said the proposals, if adopted, will reduce the cost of governance, among other benefits.