APC: Jonathan’ll Be Seeking 3rd Term if He Contests in 2015

The Interim National Chairman of the newly-registered All Progressives
Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, saturday cautioned President Goodluck
Jonathan on his 2015 ambition, claiming the president is seeking a
'third term' in office.
Fielding questions from journalists on the state of the nation in his
Ila-Orangun country home, Osun State, Akande also accused President
Jonathan of treating some serious national issues with levity.
The APC chairman, who is a former governor of Osun State, said: "I do
not see President Jonathan as a serious-minded person. Nigeria's
problem today is Jonathan. I had written him twice when I was in
office as National Chairman of ACN on issues bordering on the nation
and till date he has not acknowledged the letters.
"He takes national issues with levity. All he is concerned about is
his 'third term' ambition. He has reduced the totality of Nigeria to
kindergarten governance. Jonathan today is the most powerful President
in the world. He has all the powers arrogated to him andhe's still
asking for more".
The 1999 Constitution, as amended, states that any Nigerian that has
not been elected to the office of President two times previously,
among other qualifications, is eligible to contest for the presidency.
President Jonathan has been elected only once.
However, the constitution guarantees two terms of four years each for
president and governor. If the president contests and wins in 2015 and
spends another four years in office he may be spending a total of nine
years in office altogether because he spent one year completing the
tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua from 2010 to 2011.
This is as against two terms of four years each envisaged under the
constitution. Whether there is an issue with that may be a matter for
INEC and the court to decide.
The APC chairman also likened President Jonathan's style of governance
to that of former President Olusegun Obasanjo when he was in office,
alleging that Obasanjo kept harassing anybody that stood on his way
with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Indepndent
Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and security
agencies.
Akande claimed the current crisis rocking Rivers State was a result of
President Jonathan's ambition to contest the 2015 poll. He said the
APC would build a solid political structure and win power in 2015 to
enhance the socio-economic and political development of the nation.
On the quality of the candidate that will carry the APC presidential
flag in the 2015 election, Akande said, "We want a thinking leadership
in this country, and not a kindergarten leader like President
Jonathan."
The APC chairman, however, refuted media reports that the opposition
party was not keen on the 2015 presidential election, saying some
newspapers misquoted him.