The pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere has berated the alleged move by some individuals championing a third term agenda for President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a communique read by the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, the inconsistency of President Buhari over the third term agenda shows that he is in support of the plan
The meeting which in Ondo State capital alleged that the plan had already been perfected, hence the recent invitation of 36 Speakers of Houses of Assembly to the State House to meet with the president.
According to the group, “the only hurdle left to change that provision would be two-thirds of the Houses of Assembly.”
Reading the communique, Odumakin emphasized that the introduction of the ‘Hate Speech Bill’ is an attempt to gag any dissenting voice over the move.
The communique partly read, “The meeting took serious note of the rumoured plans to subvert the Constitution of Nigeria to allow President Buhari to have a third term in office which started with an APC Senatorial Candidate in Bauchi last year during bye-election declaring that he was coming to the Senate to work for a third term for Buhari.
“This was followed by the President who has a maximum of possible 8 years in office telling the country he was going to lift 100million Nigerians out of poverty in TEN years.
“To douse the tension the rumoured plot is generating the President made a denial a few days ago which we took with a pinch of salt because it is not the first time politicians would pursue what they are denying in Nigeria swearing with Allah/God.
“We have not forgotten that General Buhari told this country in 2011 that he would do only one term if he became President. He is now on a second term.
“With the National Assembly in the pocket, the only hurdle left to change that provision would be two-thirds of the Houses of Assembly and we have seen the President holding a meeting of 36 Speakers.
And shortly after this meeting, an APC member in Ebonyi State has approached a Federal High Court to compel the National Assembly to remove the constitutional impediments against third term for President and Governors.
“We have seen this fire before for this smoke not to be strange to us.
Afenifere, therefore, calls on Nigerians to be vigilant and thwart any attempt to take the country for a ride once again.
Also, the group described the ongoing Hate Speech Bill that is currently being debated at the Senate as a breach of the Nigerian constitution which clearly spelled out freedom of speech.
“Meeting was miffed that in the midst of all the challenges facing Nigerians, the Senate would be concerned with a law to hang people for exercising their freedom of speech and airing views those in power may not like.
“The attempt to take away the freedom of expression earned through the sweat and blood of patriots is not only wicked but portrays us as a barbaric polity that operates by tenets of the jungle.
Meeting called on Nigerians not to succumb to this totalitarian agenda.
“All countries that cherish freedom of speech are called upon to shut their borders against all Senators who have spoken in favour of the bill to protect the right of man to air his view without prejudice to the laws of libel.”
