By Aaron Ossai, Abuja and TONY AKOWE, Kaduna

This is aside from upping the monetary ante with any defector from the ranks of those opposed to 3rd term now being offered N200m for their vote, according to Senator Saidu Dansadau The plan NewAge gathered seeks to change the procedure used in the second reading in order to manipulate the final verdict in favour of third term.

The plan is that after the second reading, the Senate must use its powers to adopt an entire new procedure for the third reading ・a procedure different from the transparency that was obvious in the second reading.

The new procedure according to the leader of the 2007 Movement, an anti third organisation, Senator Uche Chukwumerije will incorporate three measures: namely by pass Section 9 of the constitution, secret balloting and ban on press coverage. 鉄ince the Senate regulates its business, the Senate should in a pre ・third reading session on Wednesday decide on the procedure for the section by section deliberations by the committee of the whole house. This must be done urgently in order to use the advantage of the slim majority secure by pro-third termers in Senate reading to make a new procedure that will violate the provision of the mandatory 2/3 majority in section 9 of the constitution,・Chukwumerije disclosed.

Third term plotters, according to Chukwumerije will proceed with the argument that since section 9 of the constitution states 殿lteration・and since the bill is for constitution 殿mendment・and not 殿lteration・the bill doles not therefore come under the purview of section 9 of the constitution.

He explained the argument as follows: 典he constitutional amendment bill is not alteration because amendment does not mean alteration. Therefore, the constitutional amendment bill should be treated as a normal bill, subject only to the requirement of a simple majority. The senate should therefore be persuaded with section 60 of the constitution to use a simple majority in place of the stipulated 2/3 majority in section 9, to pass the constitutional amendment bill・

Also part of game plan is to ensure that the senate use secret ballot for the clause by clause voting by Senators, since the standing rules of the Senate are silent on the mode of voting.

鄭gain in exercise of its power to regulate its procedure, the senate on Wednesday will decide that live coverage should be discontinued. The press should also be bared from the coverage of the proceedings,・he said.

These measures, Chukwumerije revealed will brought to the Senate on tomorrow via two separate motions the first on new rules of procedure to be moved by a South East Senator and the second motion to be moved by a South South senator. The movement appealed to senators to follow the path of duty and honour by throwing away the two motions if they are tabled. 典he Senate痴 mature and statesman-like position on the third term during the second reading has regained for the distinguished body its public trust and respect which has been destroyed in the last three years. If we surrender to this new pressure, we shall again surrender the constitutional independence of the Senate and forfeit our public respect. More dangerous still, the credibility of constitutional democracy among our people will be destroyed,・Chukwumerije added.

典he defeat of the third term during the second reading is already a public knowledge. It happened in the full glare of the public. Abortion of this patriotic defeat through illegal change of procedure will be a final confirmation that this regime has inflicted a fatal wound on our democracy,・ he said. Meanwhile, it has been alleged that any member of the National Assembly who has stood against tenure elongation for the president could walk away with as much as N200m if he (she) changes position and votes for it.

This assertion was made by Senator Saidu Dansadau, chairman of the Senate Committee, Science and Technology in an interview with NewAge in Abuja yesterday. Asked to substantiate his disclosure, he said he knew some of those who had been approached but declined to name them. "Part of the arrangement now is that if you are a new comer and are prepared to change (to support 3rd term) you'll be given N200m," Senator Dansadau said.

Asked whether if offered he would collect, he replied that he would be glad to do so but said this would not change his position. Dismissing the reasons proffered by advocates of term allocation, the Senator said there are many people who can assume the country's mantle of leadership and perform creditably.

Also, the Socialist Front, a Kaduna-based civil society coalition said yesterday that the Obasanjo government had become just as the former governor of Kaduna state, Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd) warned against the grave consequences of the current trend of bribery, intimidation and coercion of legislators in the ongoing debate on constitutional amendment and third term. Addressing a news conference in Kaduna on the reported raid on the premises of the African Independent Television (AIT) by security operatives, Ahmed Sani of the Socialist Front cautioned the Federal Government against using security operatives to witch-hunt opponents of the third term agenda and constitutional amendment.

He condemned the reported raid by security operatives on the premises of the AIT over the broadcast of its activities concerning the third term and constitutional amendment.

"I am speaking as the Chairman of the Socialist Front, and I wish to express our strong condemnation inn the way and manner security operatives had access to and raided the office of the AIT as was reported. That act is condemnable and we reject it", he said.

He argued that under a democratic system, the government has the responsibility to ensure that it observes the basic tenets of the rule of law, pointing out that the behaviour of security men in clamping down on the fundamental rights of individuals and groups was a violation.