Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has put forward a proposal for a six-year single-term presidency that would alternate between Nigeria’s northern and southern regions.
In a letter addressed to Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who chairs the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Atiku urged that his suggestion be included in the current constitutional amendment discussions by the National Assembly.
The letter, dated August 29, 2024, was made public this week and bears the signature of Atiku, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2023 presidential elections.
Atiku proposed the addition of paragraph ‘a’ to Section 130 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, stating, “The office of the President shall rotate among the six geopolitical zones of the Federation on a single term of six years, alternating between the North and South.”
He also recommended an amendment to Section 135 (2) to state: “Subject to the provisions of subsection 1, the President shall vacate the office at the end of a six-year period starting from the date of election to that office.”
