Senate president dismisses rumours that it won't mind a constitutional amendment to allow unlimited terms of President office

The Office of the President of the Senate has dismissed claims that it won't mind a constitutional amendment to allow unlimited terms of office for the President if President Buhari wishes to remain in office beyond 2023.

The said claim was noted in a tweet by one Cmr Mayor attributing the statement to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan. 

In response to this, the office stated their initial reaction was to ignore the mischief especially since it is not new, having been posted two years ago on 27 March, 2019, but due to the tweet recently trending on social media, it became necesary to issue a formal rebutal of its purport.

It said, 

"We therefore say categorically that the Senate President has never made any such statement, before or after 2019. The old tweet which was entirely the handiwork of mischief makers is now being circulated again on social media by purveyors of fake news

"The 1999 Constitution has a firm position on the tenure of the President that reflects the popular stand of Nigerians.Section 137(1)b states as follow: A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if (b) he has been elected to such Office at any two previous elections.

"The Senate President has never found anything wrong in that provision of the Constitution and has always stood firmly by it."

The office recalled that Lawan was a member of the National Assembly when in 2005 it three out an attempt to amend that section of the Constitution and elongate the tenure of the President. The National Assembly acted then in obedience to the overwhelmingly popular desire of Nigerias.

According to them, It is therefore ludicrous to imagine that lawn would ever be in the vanguard of any such misadventure that is again certain to fall if ever pursued again 

While noting that the Senate President stands by the well-considered and roundly appreciated provision of the constitution on the issue and will never subscribe to any move to amend it, the office called on the public to ignore the old fabricated statement mischievously attributed to the Senate President and now being cirvuated by mischief makers.