Semiu Okanlawon

They said at a news conference in Lagos on Wednesday that the proposed constitutional amendment should maintain the status quo of two terms of four years each for the president and state governors.

Rising from another meeting held at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, the southern leaders under the aegis of the South-East, South-South and South-West Summit, also denied being sponsored by Obasanjo to achieve any third term ambition, adding that the rotation of the presidency should be based on the existing six geopolitical zones and not between the North and the South.

Addressing newsmen at the end of their meeting on Wednesday, Ambassador Mathew Mbu, said the proposal of the group was borne out of a painstaking examination of the draft amendment of the 1999 Constitution as proposed by the Joint Committee of the National Assembly on the Review of the Constitution.

Mbu stated, 典he southern leaders endorsed the retention of the status quo of two terms of eight years non-renewable. Also on power shift, we have affirmed the belief in our proposal that it shall be six zones and not between the North and the South. And we have also agreed that the next president of Nigeria shall come from either the South-South or the South-East.・

On why the meeting became necessary, Mbu said this was to enable all the southern geopolitical zones harmonise their positions on some crucial issues proposed for amendment in the 1999 Constitution before the commencement of the public hearing on the amendment of the constitution.

He added, 典his session of the meeting of southern leaders has dealt exhaustively with the amendment of the constitution being presented by the National Assembly for public hearing. After taking a look at the draft amendment now in circulation and studying the various provisions, we have come out with some proposals of our own where we felt the National Assembly draft amendment fell short of expectations.

典his position that we have presented will be the position of the leaders of the three zones of South-East, South-South and South-West during the public hearing.・

Mbu, who said the forum also discussed derivation, expressed the desire of the southern leaders to return to the 1963 Constitution which gave 50 per cent of revenue made from resources to the states where such resources were found and 50 per cent to the federation account.

He explained, 鄭nd our proposal is that this provision should apply to all the minerals, where they are found, and the same percentage shall apply on VAT.・

Those present at Wednesday痴 meeting included the General Secretary of the Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr. Kunle Olajide; Dr. Tunji Otegbeye; Chief Olu Falae; Dr. Pat Utomi; Dr. Raymond Dokpesi; Prof. A.B.C. Nwosu; and Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (rtd).

The PUNCH, Monday, January 12, 2006