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Breaking News!-Third Term bill thrown out of the senate

May 15, 2006
Nigeria’s upper house finally killed the “constitutional amendment bill” which would have given president Obasanjo an opportunity to take a shot at the presidency for a third term. The controversial bill includes several amendments to the military imposed 1999 constitution with which the Obasanjo regime had operated since 1999. The most contentious of the provision is the amendment which seeks to give the president and state governors a third term opportunity past May 2007 the terminal date for current office holders in Nigeria.

 

Today at the upper house the bill was defeated with a voice vote by majority of senators. The bill did not pass to a second reading as required by senate rules for passing laws.  A mild drama ensued at the house of represenative where the third term bill was unceremoniously withdrawn as debates raged on the issue.

 

Saharareporters sources in Abuja said the president in a meeting with PDP state governors last night decided that there was need to change strategy since the third term agenda was drawing bad blood from Nigerians all over the world. “It had become an embarrassment to Nigeria” said a regular source. Obasanjo has somewhat returned Nigeria to a pariah status and he knows that he is completely isolated now, said a senator who did not want to be named.

 

 The new strategy by the president and his handlers is a new song, they have resolved that they will call a truce on the third term controversy by advocating that the president tenure is extended by two more years so that he can complete some of his 'reform' projects. The plan is currently known as "PLAN B". Saharareporters can confirm that it was the original plan by Obasanjo before it was agreed that a four-year term should be placed before Nigerians as a way of over-heating the polity and then calm things down to get a sympathy for  two years extention for his regime. This plan is aimed at asking for tenure elongation.


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