by Isi Esene

The Presidency has indicated that President Goodluck Jonathan is prepared to shelve his second term ambitions if the Senate passes its proposal for a single non-renewable six-year tenure into law.

This disclosure was made on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak in Abuja.

According to Gulak: “Nigerians will remember that it was President Jonathan that suggested an idea of a single term tenure from the beginning. So if the proposal becomes a law, the credit should go to the President.

“If it becomes a law and is enshrined in our constitution, the President and everybody will be bound by the provision of that law. Let us wait and see what happens.

“We are not seeing the move as a way of stopping President Jonathan from re-contesting in 2015. The law cannot be made because of one individual.

“When it takes effect, everybody will be bound by it.”

Read the Punch Newspapers report below:

The PUNCH had on Tuesday reported exclusively that the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution had recommended non-renewable single six year tenure for the offices of President, Vice-President, governors and their deputies.

The Senate panel’s recommendation disqualifies Jonathan and incumbent governors from benefitting from the new arrangement if the recommendation becomes law.

In justifying the move, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and Media, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, was quoted on Wednesday as saying that the development was the outcome of public hearings across the country.

If passed into law, Jonathan will not be eligible to contest the 2015 presidential election.

Gulak noted that the President should even be given credit for being the originator of the single-term proposal.

Jonathan had in 2011 suggested a single-term of seven years for elective offices to avoid the wrangling often associated with second-term bids.

For those who are skeptical about President Goodluck Jonathan’s rumoured 2015 ambition there you have your answer.