New law prescribes single term for VPs who complete president’s tenure

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law, a bill that prevents a vice-president who completes a president’s tenure from contesting twice.

Speaking with journalists at Aso Rock on Friday, Ita Enang, senior special assistant on national assembly matters (senate), said the law also applies to a deputy governor who completes the tenure of a governor.

“The effect is that having taken the oath of president once, he can only contest one more time and no more,” Enang said.

“That is the intent of this amendment.”

TheCable understands that the law does not apply to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan as it takes effect from the period it was signed.

Jonathan completed the first term of Umaru Yar’Adua who died on May 5, 2010.

He was also sworn in for another term on May 29, 2011, after he won the presidential poll of that year.

Ita-Enang said Buhari also signed the constitution fourth alteration bill that grants financial autonomy to houses of assembly and state judiciary.

“I just want to inform you that His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari today assented to the constitution fourth alteration Bill which grants financial authonomy and independence to the houses of assembly of the respective states and to the judiciary of the respective states,” he said.

“Therefore upon this signature the amounts standing to the credit of the judiciary are to be now be paid directly to the judiciary of those states, no more through the governors and no more from the governors.

“And then the amounts standing to the credit of the houses of assembly of the respective states are now to be paid directly to the houses of assembly of that state for the benefit of the legislators and the management of the states house of assembly of that state. This grant full autonomy now to the Houses of Assembly and judiciary of states.

“Another act which has come into force today is constitution amendment 21 which relates to the determination of pre-elections matters. It has reduced the date and time of determining pre-election matters to ensure that the pre-election matters in court do not get into the time of the elections and do not lend thereafter. The relevant section of the constitution has also been amended by this act, therefore amending the constitution.

“The other one is bill 16 which is now an act. The intent of that Act is to ensure that where a vice-president succeeds the president and where a deputy governor succeeds a governor, he can no more contest for that office more than one more time. The effect is that having taken the oath of president once, he can only contest one more time and no more. That is the intent of this amendment.”

Enang added that the president also signed a bill that gives the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sufficient time to conduct by-election.