{{In NIgeria, the Arewa leaders have opposed plans by the National Assembly to recommend a six-year single tenure for the president and governors under the proposed constitutional amendment, saying that such system if adopted would be counter productive and injurious to the nation’s democracy.}}
Meanwhile, the South-East Revival Group (SERG) Thursday cautioned political leaders in the country against the use of the anti-corruption agencies to hunt politically perceived enemies.
They alleged that the recent invitation of an Anambra State governorship hopeful, Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was a confirmation that intimidation and harassment of political opponent was emerging
Besides, elder statesman and opposition leader, Alhaji Balarabe Musa has criticised President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for its inability to deliver the dividend of democracy, adding that poor governance by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had resulted in the internal crisis within the party.
In a statement by the Northern elders under the aegis of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, they argued that the six-year tenure for both the President and governors which the Senate was said to have recommended “lacks the basic elements of motivation and incentives needed in any management of human affairs for performance” under any purposeful democratic dispensation.”
They added: “In the single tenure system, there are no incentives, motivation and reward that can inspire for excellent performance” by the political office holders.
“And this has to do with the fact that the good, the not-so-good and the feckless leaders, are grouped together in the same hall without any distinction. Such a practice cannot deliver on good governance. That may explain why most countries in the world practise multiple tenure systems which enable leaders to aspire for excellence in the hope of reward by way of re-election.
“This is because election into first term is on the basis of hope while that for second term should be based on performance in the office. Leaders should be elected not only on the basis of hope but also on the basis of performance in the office.”
SERG said in a statement issued yesterday, by its Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu that “the invitation or any other name by which it is called flies in the face of reason since Mr. Ubah and his company, Capital Oil and Gas have been cleared by the police and a court of competent jurisdiction over attempts to rope him into the subsidy fraud.”
The members of the group explained that while the court awarded damage in the case involving Ubah, they also argued that “what happened to Ubah on Tuesday falls into a pattern that has become repetitive in recent months as national issue are exploited to clamp down on constitutionally guaranteed liberties at all levels of government”.
Musa said that “President Goodluck Jonathan has almost turned everybody in the country into his enemy because of the principled opposition against his leadership style”.
According to him, “even his kinsmen and the people from the South South are not spared under the President’s ruthless political vindictiveness , which he is now adopting to pave way for his 2015 presidential ambition.”
{NgrGuardian}
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