ABUJA: A vice president who completes the term of a president is not eligible to run for the office of the President more than once, according to a constitutional amendment signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.
The law also stipulates same to a deputy governor who completes the term of a state governor.
The President’s aide on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, made this known at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Goodluck Jonathan, as vice president, succeeded late President Umaru Yar’Adua on 6 May, 2010.
He contested for the office of president in 2011, which he won, and vied for the position for the second time in 2015.
Enang explained that the effect of the new law, Act 16, is that having taken the oath of President or governor once, the affected person can only contest one more time and no more.
“I just want to inform you that His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari today (Friday) assented to the Constitution Fourth Alteration Bill which grants financial autonomy 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 now be paid directly to the judiciary of those states and no more through the governors and 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 state Houses of Assembly of that state. This grants full autonomy now to the Houses of Assembly and judiciary of states.”
The President also granted financial autonomy to state judiciaries and Houses of Assembly.
Concise News understands that one of the Acts empowers the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sufficient time to conduct bye-elections.
