Allegation of third term agenda yesterday made a rebound in the polity as Northern delegates to the ongoing National Conference  accused President Goodluck Jonathan and state governors  of plotting to introduce a new  constitution that will enable them enjoy a third term.
The delegates, under the aegis of Northern Delegates Forum (NDF) claimed that the national conference had been infiltrated by fifth columnists, whose agenda they said was to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper mess.
Addressing newsmen, in Abuja, Chairman of the Forum and former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Coomassie said the introduction of a new constitution 2014 at the conference was a subterfuge to hand a third term to the incumbent leadership.
Coomassie was flanked on the high table by  Mohammed Kumalia, Gen Jeremiah Useni, Dr Iyorchia  Ayu, Emir of Askira, His Highness Abdullahi Mohammed, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Dr Bashir Dalhatu and Gen Ibrahim Salihu.
The erstwhile police boss, reading from a prepared speech said, “ from the foregoing, it is now abundantly clear that the conference has been infiltrated by fifth columnists whose goal is to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper, but avoidable political crisis .
“To all intent and purposes the introduction of a new constitution 2014 for Nigeria is a calculated attempt by some people to take advantage of Court of Appeal’s ruling in 2003, as delivered by Justice George Adesola Oguntade (JCA as he then was) in the celebrated case of Attorney General of the Federation vs ANPP and others.
In the ruling, Coomassie recalled that the Appeal Court  dismissed a suit which had sought to stop the then governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu,  from seeking a second term  for having earlier served in that capacity between 1991 and 1993 . According  to him, the judge explained  that the constitution upon which the suit against Audu was leaned on had been replaced by a new Constitution of 1999 and therefore, he was free to contest the 2003 poll.
Going by the ruling, the NDF chairman contended that the decision by some people to adopt a new constitution was a strategy to give incumbent elective office holders, who it said are statue-barred an opportunity to have a third term.
Coomassie said: “Given the observation above, adopting a new constitution is therefore calculated to enable the incumbent elective office holders who are statute-barred from going for third term at both federal and state levels to run for offices again under the guise of running under a new constitution.
“This will also have the consequential effect of depriving aspiring politicians from all political parties as well as all Nigerians of their rights to choices and preferences as enshrined in the constitution.”
The former IG cautioned that “if not arrested, the 3rd term agenda, as in the past (2005), is capable of plunging Nigeria into another circle of political chaos with potential of violence and anarchy.”
Coomassie noted that NDF had challenged the leadership of the conference about the new constitution but did not get a satisfactory response. According to him, the leadership claimed ignorance of the document, exonerating any member of NDF of being privy to the controversial constitution.
Allegation of third term agenda yesterday made a rebound in the polity as Northern delegates to the ongoing National Conference  accused President Goodluck Jonathan and state governors  of plotting to introduce a new  constitution that will enable them enjoy a third term.
The delegates, under the aegis of Northern Delegates Forum (NDF) claimed that the national conference had been infiltrated by fifth columnists, whose agenda they said was to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper mess.
Addressing newsmen, in Abuja, Chairman of the Forum and former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Coomassie said the introduction of a new constitution 2014 at the conference was a subterfuge to hand a third term to the incumbent leadership.
Coomassie was flanked on the high table by  Mohammed Kumalia, Gen Jeremiah Useni, Dr Iyorchia  Ayu, Emir of Askira, His Highness Abdullahi Mohammed, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Dr Bashir Dalhatu and Gen Ibrahim Salihu.
The erstwhile police boss, reading from a prepared speech said, “ from the foregoing, it is now abundantly clear that the conference has been infiltrated by fifth columnists whose goal is to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper, but avoidable political crisis .
“To all intent and purposes the introduction of a new constitution 2014 for Nigeria is a calculated attempt by some people to take advantage of Court of Appeal’s ruling in 2003, as delivered by Justice George Adesola Oguntade (JCA as he then was) in the celebrated case of Attorney General of the Federation vs ANPP and others.
In the ruling, Coomassie recalled that the Appeal Court  dismissed a suit which had sought to stop the then governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu,  from seeking a second term  for having earlier served in that capacity between 1991 and 1993 . According  to him, the judge explained  that the constitution upon which the suit against Audu was leaned on had been replaced by a new Constitution of 1999 and therefore, he was free to contest the 2003 poll.
Going by the ruling, the NDF chairman contended that the decision by some people to adopt a new constitution was a strategy to give incumbent elective office holders, who it said are statue-barred an opportunity to have a third term.
Coomassie said: “Given the observation above, adopting a new constitution is therefore calculated to enable the incumbent elective office holders who are statute-barred from going for third term at both federal and state levels to run for offices again under the guise of running under a new constitution.
“This will also have the consequential effect of depriving aspiring politicians from all political parties as well as all Nigerians of their rights to choices and preferences as enshrined in the constitution.”
The former IG cautioned that “if not arrested, the 3rd term agenda, as in the past (2005), is capable of plunging Nigeria into another circle of political chaos with potential of violence and anarchy.”
Coomassie noted that NDF had challenged the leadership of the conference about the new constitution but did not get a satisfactory response. According to him, the leadership claimed ignorance of the document, exonerating any member of NDF of being privy to the controversial constitution.
Allegation of third term agenda yesterday made a rebound in the polity as Northern delegates to the ongoing National Conference  accused President Goodluck Jonathan and state governors  of plotting to introduce a new  constitution that will enable them enjoy a third term.
The delegates, under the aegis of Northern Delegates Forum (NDF) claimed that the national conference had been infiltrated by fifth columnists, whose agenda they said was to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper mess.
Addressing newsmen, in Abuja, Chairman of the Forum and former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Coomassie said the introduction of a new constitution 2014 at the conference was a subterfuge to hand a third term to the incumbent leadership.
Coomassie was flanked on the high table by  Mohammed Kumalia, Gen Jeremiah Useni, Dr Iyorchia  Ayu, Emir of Askira, His Highness Abdullahi Mohammed, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Dr Bashir Dalhatu and Gen Ibrahim Salihu.
The erstwhile police boss, reading from a prepared speech said, “ from the foregoing, it is now abundantly clear that the conference has been infiltrated by fifth columnists whose goal is to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper, but avoidable political crisis .
“To all intent and purposes the introduction of a new constitution 2014 for Nigeria is a calculated attempt by some people to take advantage of Court of Appeal’s ruling in 2003, as delivered by Justice George Adesola Oguntade (JCA as he then was) in the celebrated case of Attorney General of the Federation vs ANPP and others.
In the ruling, Coomassie recalled that the Appeal Court  dismissed a suit which had sought to stop the then governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu,  from seeking a second term  for having earlier served in that capacity between 1991 and 1993 . According  to him, the judge explained  that the constitution upon which the suit against Audu was leaned on had been replaced by a new Constitution of 1999 and therefore, he was free to contest the 2003 poll.
Going by the ruling, the NDF chairman contended that the decision by some people to adopt a new constitution was a strategy to give incumbent elective office holders, who it said are statue-barred an opportunity to have a third term.
Coomassie said: “Given the observation above, adopting a new constitution is therefore calculated to enable the incumbent elective office holders who are statute-barred from going for third term at both federal and state levels to run for offices again under the guise of running under a new constitution.
“This will also have the consequential effect of depriving aspiring politicians from all political parties as well as all Nigerians of their rights to choices and preferences as enshrined in the constitution.”
The former IG cautioned that “if not arrested, the 3rd term agenda, as in the past (2005), is capable of plunging Nigeria into another circle of political chaos with potential of violence and anarchy.”
Coomassie noted that NDF had challenged the leadership of the conference about the new constitution but did not get a satisfactory response. According to him, the leadership claimed ignorance of the document, exonerating any member of NDF of being privy to the controversial constitution.
Allegation of third term agenda yesterday made a rebound in the polity as Northern delegates to the ongoing National Conference  accused President Goodluck Jonathan and state governors  of plotting to introduce a new  constitution that will enable them enjoy a third term.
The delegates, under the aegis of Northern Delegates Forum (NDF) claimed that the national conference had been infiltrated by fifth columnists, whose agenda they said was to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper mess.
Addressing newsmen, in Abuja, Chairman of the Forum and former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Coomassie said the introduction of a new constitution 2014 at the conference was a subterfuge to hand a third term to the incumbent leadership.
Coomassie was flanked on the high table by  Mohammed Kumalia, Gen Jeremiah Useni, Dr Iyorchia  Ayu, Emir of Askira, His Highness Abdullahi Mohammed, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Dr Bashir Dalhatu and Gen Ibrahim Salihu.
The erstwhile police boss, reading from a prepared speech said, “ from the foregoing, it is now abundantly clear that the conference has been infiltrated by fifth columnists whose goal is to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper, but avoidable political crisis .
“To all intent and purposes the introduction of a new constitution 2014 for Nigeria is a calculated attempt by some people to take advantage of Court of Appeal’s ruling in 2003, as delivered by Justice George Adesola Oguntade (JCA as he then was) in the celebrated case of Attorney General of the Federation vs ANPP and others.
In the ruling, Coomassie recalled that the Appeal Court  dismissed a suit which had sought to stop the then governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu,  from seeking a second term  for having earlier served in that capacity between 1991 and 1993 . According  to him, the judge explained  that the constitution upon which the suit against Audu was leaned on had been replaced by a new Constitution of 1999 and therefore, he was free to contest the 2003 poll.
Going by the ruling, the NDF chairman contended that the decision by some people to adopt a new constitution was a strategy to give incumbent elective office holders, who it said are statue-barred an opportunity to have a third term.
Coomassie said: “Given the observation above, adopting a new constitution is therefore calculated to enable the incumbent elective office holders who are statute-barred from going for third term at both federal and state levels to run for offices again under the guise of running under a new constitution.
“This will also have the consequential effect of depriving aspiring politicians from all political parties as well as all Nigerians of their rights to choices and preferences as enshrined in the constitution.”
The former IG cautioned that “if not arrested, the 3rd term agenda, as in the past (2005), is capable of plunging Nigeria into another circle of political chaos with potential of violence and anarchy.”
Coomassie noted that NDF had challenged the leadership of the conference about the new constitution but did not get a satisfactory response. According to him, the leadership claimed ignorance of the document, exonerating any member of NDF of being privy to the controversial constitution.
Allegation of third term agenda yesterday made a rebound in the polity as Northern delegates to the ongoing National Conference  accused President Goodluck Jonathan and state governors  of plotting to introduce a new  constitution that will enable them enjoy a third term.
The delegates, under the aegis of Northern Delegates Forum (NDF) claimed that the national conference had been infiltrated by fifth columnists, whose agenda they said was to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper mess.
Addressing newsmen, in Abuja, Chairman of the Forum and former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Coomassie said the introduction of a new constitution 2014 at the conference was a subterfuge to hand a third term to the incumbent leadership.
Coomassie was flanked on the high table by  Mohammed Kumalia, Gen Jeremiah Useni, Dr Iyorchia  Ayu, Emir of Askira, His Highness Abdullahi Mohammed, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Dr Bashir Dalhatu and Gen Ibrahim Salihu.
The erstwhile police boss, reading from a prepared speech said, “ from the foregoing, it is now abundantly clear that the conference has been infiltrated by fifth columnists whose goal is to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper, but avoidable political crisis .
“To all intent and purposes the introduction of a new constitution 2014 for Nigeria is a calculated attempt by some people to take advantage of Court of Appeal’s ruling in 2003, as delivered by Justice George Adesola Oguntade (JCA as he then was) in the celebrated case of Attorney General of the Federation vs ANPP and others.
In the ruling, Coomassie recalled that the Appeal Court  dismissed a suit which had sought to stop the then governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu,  from seeking a second term  for having earlier served in that capacity between 1991 and 1993 . According  to him, the judge explained  that the constitution upon which the suit against Audu was leaned on had been replaced by a new Constitution of 1999 and therefore, he was free to contest the 2003 poll.
Going by the ruling, the NDF chairman contended that the decision by some people to adopt a new constitution was a strategy to give incumbent elective office holders, who it said are statue-barred an opportunity to have a third term.
Coomassie said: “Given the observation above, adopting a new constitution is therefore calculated to enable the incumbent elective office holders who are statute-barred from going for third term at both federal and state levels to run for offices again under the guise of running under a new constitution.
“This will also have the consequential effect of depriving aspiring politicians from all political parties as well as all Nigerians of their rights to choices and preferences as enshrined in the constitution.”
The former IG cautioned that “if not arrested, the 3rd term agenda, as in the past (2005), is capable of plunging Nigeria into another circle of political chaos with potential of violence and anarchy.”
Coomassie noted that NDF had challenged the leadership of the conference about the new constitution but did not get a satisfactory response. According to him, the leadership claimed ignorance of the document, exonerating any member of NDF of being privy to the controversial constitution.

Northern delegates allege plot to give Jonathan, govs 3rd term