Public
debates in Nigeria to consider possible third term for Obasanjo
end
By
Ade
Obisesan
AFP
LAGOS
Petroleumworld.com
02 24 06
Public debates on possible changes to the constitution, including
a contentious amendment that would allow President Olusegun Obasanjo
to run for a third term ended Thursday across Nigeria.
The hearings were held in six cities, each representing one of
the nation's geopolitical regions -- three in the Muslim majority
north and three in the oil-rich south.
Among other things, delegates considered a proposal to allow Obasanjo,
a Christian southerner, and state governors to seek another mandate.
While most delegates from northern states opposed a review of
the constitution, especially as it concerned giving Obasanjo a
third term opportunity, governors and delegates of five of the
six states that form his home southwest region support the idea.
Only delegates from Lagos in the same region kicked against the
constitutional review.
The review committee, headed by senate deputy president Ibrahim
Mantu, has proposed more than 100 amendments to the 1999 constitution,
promulgated by the military.
Obasanjo, who came into office in May 1999 after winning a democratic
poll, began a second four-year term in May 2003.
According to the constitution, this second mandate should be his
last.
Obasanjo, a former military head of state (1976-79), has so far
been silent over whether he intends to seek a third term.
The issue is generating controversy and violence across the country,
where presidential and general elections are scheduled to take
place next year.
Northern politicians, human rights bodies and lawyers are opposed
to an Obasanjo third term.
A powerful politician from the region and former presidential
candidate, Abubakar Rimi, Thursday dismissed the public debates
as sham and "tailor-made to suit certain political interests."
Three northern states boycotted the two-day exercise in protest.
Speaking on behalf of six states that make up the oil-rich south-south
region, Rivers Governor Peter Odili said that they expected that
the report would reflect "all issues germane to the people
of south-south", particularly on the issue of allocating
larger share of oil revenue to the region.
The controversial exercise took place amidst bloody sectarian
riots that took place in the past few days in some states across
the country in which more than 100 people, mostly Christians,
died.
Protests by Muslims at satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed
that appear in the European media degenerated into bloody riots
against Christians in several Nigerian states.
The violence spread to southeastern commercial city of Onitsha,
in Anambra State, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A senior official of the Civil Liberties Organisation, a human
rights body in Nigeria, told AFP Thursday that at least 80 people,
mostly ethnic Muslim Hausa from the north, were killed in reprisal
attacks launched by ethnic Christian Ibos in Onitsha.
AFP
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