Date: 2013-06-12

In sharp contrast to the stand of the Senate, Nigeria's House of Representatives Committee onConstitution review is seeking the retention of the four years, two terms for the president, vice president , governors and their deputies, instead of the six years single term the upper legislative chamber is seeking.

The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon Zakari Mohammed, announced the committee's position to reporters in Ilorin, Kwara State yesterday. Mohammed, who said the House's position on the issue was the true reflection of the vast majority of Nigerians, cautioned the citizenry not to think that the Senate's recommendation came from all members of the National Assembly.

He said: "We are bringing out our own report soon. In the report, we have retained the structure of four years, two terms as it is in the Constitution. When we present our report, of course, there will be a conference committee between the Senate and House of Representatives."

"If they don't agree, there will be a conference and it is about 360 members of the House of Representatives and 109 Senators. At the end of the day, the position of the House would be in order."

"We went to Nigerians, 360 federal constituencies and everybody wanted a retention of the four years, two terms as enshrined in the Constitution. That is the judgment that we brought from the people, because our own Constitution review was people-based and it was an opportunity to interface with our people."

"Rather than mix it up, we need to be very clear. The Senate had submitted its own report, our report is ready, by the time we come back from the break, we will present it on the floor of the House, because it will come as a single bill, it will go through the process of First Reading and Second Reading; then a public hearing and afterwards, it will come back to the floor of the House and we will adopt the report then, it becomes a clean Act that Mr. President will assent to."