Presidency says single term bill not jettisoned

Presidency says single term bill not jettisoned

The Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, says he has not jettisoned the controversial proposed bill for six-year single term.

The statement clarifies media reports that the President may have dropped the proposal due to the criticisms it generated.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, gave the clarification at a weekly media briefing with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Abati stated that it was untrue that President Jonathan had dropped the proposal due to public criticisms.

“How do you withdraw something that has not even been tabled? It is a proposal that is at the level of idea and it has generated a debate out there with people saying that it has been jettisoned. Who are they quoting?” he asked.

Tremendous public approval

He stated that the proposal had been receiving tremendous approval since it was proposed by the President.

Abati insisted that the proposal gained more supporters than critics.

“In fact in my own estimation, there are more people supporting the idea. It is just that they say that they support the idea, but may be the issue should not have been brought up at this time. But on the relevance of the proposal, there seem to be no disagreement on that among the majority of Nigerians,’’ he said.

Security issues

The President’s spokesperson also disclosed that the report of the Presidential Committee on the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, would be submitted during the week, and assured Nigerians that the report would be taken very seriously by the president.

He said President Jonathan was taking the issue of security seriously.

“It is not all that is included in the report that will be discussed publicly because it is security issues and this may breach investigations, he maintained.

“Given the calibre of persons in the committee and the efforts put in place by government, such report when received will not be swept under the carpet,’’ he added.

He noted that the President had given the Borno State crisis maximum attention, pointing out that his not visiting the scene of the crisis did not amount to insensitivity.

Abati reiterated the President's position on issues of accountability, transparency and openness in governance, saying that no government functionary would be protected from the law if found wanting.

NAN/Shakira/Williams