News
Constitution amendment: Jonathan can’t re-contest for President, say SANs
Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria have argued that former President Goodluck Jonathan cannot seek re-election into the office of the President with the coming into force of the latest constitutional amendment.
The amendment to the constitution signed by President Muhammadu Buhari last week stops a vice-president who completes the term of a President from contesting to be President more than one time.
It also stops a deputy governor who completes the term of a governor from seeking a second term in office as a governor.
A President’s term can be cut short by reasons of death, resignation, or death to pave the way for the Vice-President to complete the term of the departed President.
Following the death of then President Umaru Yar’adua in 2010, Jonathan as the then Vice-President, took a new oath of office to complete Yar’Adua’s term as President.
Had the law come into force in 2015 Jonathan would have been ineligible to contest the March 2015 presidential election which he lost to Buhari.
Despite the fact that Jonathan’s situation predated the new constitutional amendment, Messrs Paul Ananaba (SAN) and Ahmed Raji (SAN), argued in separate telephone interviews with one of our correspondents on Friday, that the former President could not seek a re-election into the office of the President under the current 1999 Constitution.
Without specifically mentioning Jonathan’s name, Raji argued that whoever had found himself or herself in a situation captured by the new amendment to the 1999 Constitution could not seek re-election into that same office more than once.
Raji said, “We have to look at the wordings of the new provision carefully to ascertain the mischief the amendment seeks to avoid or remove.
“I want to guess that the amendment is aimed at avoiding a situation where any person will occupy the seat of a Governor or President for a period more than eight years.
“This will be in line with the Supreme Court decision in Marwa vs Nyako. If that is the case, I will humbly think that the amendment will be applicable to all who have found themselves in such situation since 1999 when the constitution took effect.
“Any contrary interpretation will give rise to possible two classes of people under the same dispensation which will not augur well for our jurisprudence. Individual interests must bow to overall public interest.”
On his part, Ananaba said he had always argued that Jonathan was not qualified to seek re-election in 2015 even before the new amendment.
He said, “It is correct. It is the right thing to do. I have always canvassed that Jonathan had no right to go for a second term. This is because the governor and the deputy governor just like the President and the vice President ran on the same ticket which made it unnecessary to conduct an election to fill that position if the position of the governor or that of the President suddenly becomes vacant.
“So, once the Deputy Governor or the Vice-President completes the term, it means the term has been completed.
“In Goodluck Jonathan’s case, I argued that, though many people disagreed and even some courts even gave judgment contrary to my view, that if he (Jonathan) had won in 2015 he would have been in office for more than eight years which the constitution never envisages.
“This amendment is in good faith and I commend the government for it.”
…Omisore, Kaka, other ex-deputy governors divided over new law
Meanwhile, some ex-deputy governors are divided over the desirability of the constitutional amendment, which also stops a deputy governor who completes the term of a governor from seeking a second term in office.
A former Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Senator Adegbenga Kaka, said it was undemocratic to restrict former deputy governors to a single term of office after they had completed a term with the governors.
He said the electorate should have the final say on the fate of former deputy governors, or in the alternative a step should be taken to amend the constitution to give deputy governors more meaningful roles.
He said, “It is undemocratic to restrict former deputy governors to a single term after completion of a term. We all know that the deputy governors are like spare tyres, they are only allowed to operate within the areas given to them by the governors.”
A former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Hazeem Gbolarumi, however, said the ban was a welcome development, saying it would allow more capable people to aspire for the top seat.
He said, “What the president has done is a welcome development but I would have preferred a law restricting presidents and governors to only one term of six years. That will be better than governors and presidents spending eight years.
“The second term is always a waste. In six years, you should be able to do whatever you want to do. The experience we have had in seeking re-election is not palatable. It comes with intimidation and harassment of people. It is a bad idea for our kind of politics. It kills political career of many good politicians who may never get a chance because of two-term agenda of presidents and governors. But the new law is not bad because it gives room for more qualified people to aspire to become governors and presidents.”
A former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, said he was indifferent over the new law.
Omisore, who was deputy to Chief Bisi Akande, said there were some ambiguities surrounding the new law which should be removed.
He said, “I am indifferent about it. But there are ambiguities around the new law and it must be removed. Such law will disrupt zoning like it did when Jonathan took over after the death of Umaru Yar’Adua.”
The current Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Peter Kisira, said he was not opposed to the law, describing it as good for all.
In a response through his media aide, Mr. Bunmi Adedoyin, the deputy governor noted that the law had passed through all the legislative processes before it was given assent by Buhari.
According to a former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chris Ekpenyong, the length of time one spends in leading a state does not matter.
“It is a function of who is there and what he wants; the issue is what does he want to offer and how does he go about it.”
Two former deputy governors of Taraba State, Alhaji Armayau Abubakar and Uba Ahmadu, hailed the President for enacting the law, describing it as good for democracy.
Two other SANs, Tayo Oyetibo and Mike Ozekhome, have expressed divergent views over the law.
Oyetibo said such constitutional amendment was good for democracy and would stabilise the political system, as well as ensure the unwritten zoning pattern.
Ozekhome, however, noted that the amendment was inappropriate and unfair to deputy governors and vice-presidents.
The global oil market has recorded losses exceeding $50bn following massive supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing Iran war, which has now stretched to nearly 50 days.
Data from energy analytics firm Kpler showed that more than 500 million barrels of crude oil and condensate have been wiped off the global market since the crisis began in late February, making it the largest energy supply disruption in modern history.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, on Friday said the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened after a ceasefire agreement reached in Lebanon.
However, tensions escalated again on Saturday as Tehran warned it could shut the strategic waterway if the United States sustains its blockade of Iranian ports.
Also, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism that a deal to end the conflict could be reached “soon,” although he did not provide a definite timeline.
Analysts warned that the scale of disruption could have prolonged effects on global energy stability, with shocks expected to linger for months or even years.
Providing context, Principal Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, Iain Mowat, said the 500 million barrels lost is equivalent to grounding global aviation demand for 10 weeks, halting all road transport worldwide for 11 days, or shutting down the entire global oil supply for five days.
Further estimates showed that the lost volume is nearly equal to one month of oil demand in the United States or more than a month’s supply for Europe. It also represents about six years of fuel consumption by the U.S. military and could power global shipping activities for approximately four months.
The crisis has significantly affected oil-producing nations in the Gulf, with output losses reaching about eight million barrels per day in March—roughly equivalent to the combined production of two of the world’s largest oil companies.
Jet fuel exports from major producers, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, dropped sharply from 19.6 million barrels in February to just 4.1 million barrels recorded across March and April combined. Analysts said the shortfall could have powered about 20,000 round-trip international flights.
With crude prices averaging around $100 per barrel since the onset of the conflict, the lost volumes translate to an estimated $50bn in revenue. Experts noted that this figure is equivalent to about one per cent of Germany’s annual Gross Domestic Product, or roughly the size of the economies of smaller European countries.
Meanwhile, global onshore crude inventories have declined by about 45 million barrels in April alone, while total production outages have risen to approximately 12 million barrels per day since late March.
Industry experts cautioned that unless a lasting resolution is reached, the disruption could intensify volatility in global oil markets, worsen inflationary pressures, and further strain fragile economies worldwide.
A member of the House of Representatives representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Aderemi Oseni, has been nominated for a Special Award in Politics at the 2026 City People Political Awards.
The nomination was conveyed in a letter dated April 13, 2026, signed by the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of City People Magazine, Seye Kehinde.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by Oseni’s media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday.
According to the statement, the lawmaker earned the nomination in recognition of his “outstanding contributions to politics in Oyo State, particularly in Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency.”
The organisers noted that Oseni emerged as a nominee following a comprehensive review of performances across sectors by the award’s selection committee.
Part of the letter read, “Having performed creditably well in your sector last year, the Organising Committee presented you as a nominee in your sector.”
The award ceremony is scheduled to hold on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Etal Hall, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, at 4pm.
The City People Awards is an annual event that recognises individuals who have distinguished themselves in governance, public service and other sectors of national development.
The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company has announced a crackdown on individuals who assault its staff, warning that offenders will face prosecution and public exposure.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the company expressed concern over what it described as a “disturbing surge” in attacks on its field workers and third-party partners.
It noted that the affected personnel were mainly engaged in meter installation, revenue collection and maintenance of electricity infrastructure.
According to the firm, the increasing cases of harassment, physical assault and unlawful detention of its workers pose a serious threat to employee safety and the stability of electricity service delivery across its franchise areas.
The Deputy Managing Director, Abubakar Mohammed, said the company would no longer tolerate any form of aggression against its workforce.
“Let this serve as a clear warning to anyone who engages in the assault of our staff. Kaduna Electric will pursue every case to its logical conclusion,” he said.
“We will work closely with security agencies to ensure offenders are brought to justice and face the full weight of the law,” Mohammed added.
He further disclosed that the company would publicly reveal the identities of individuals found culpable.
According to him, names, photographs and other details of offenders would be published on the company’s official platforms as well as in national and local media.
“This measure is intended to ensure accountability and serve as a strong deterrent. Anyone who chooses to attack our personnel should be prepared not only to face prosecution but also public exposure,” he added.
The company stressed that assaults on utility workers attract serious legal and financial consequences, noting that offenders risk criminal charges that may lead to fines or imprisonment.
It added that perpetrators could also face civil liabilities, including compensation for medical treatment, psychological trauma and loss of work hours.
While condemning the attacks, Kaduna Electric urged customers to adopt peaceful and lawful means of resolving disputes.
It advised aggrieved customers to channel complaints through its customer service units or appropriate regulatory bodies.
The management reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its workforce and partners, stressing that a safe working environment is essential for delivering reliable and efficient electricity services.
Although disputes between electricity providers and consumers are often linked to billing issues, metering challenges and service delivery concerns, the company maintained that such matters must be resolved through dialogue, insisting that violence against its staff will no longer be tolerated.
-
News6 days agoOseni Secures Prestigious City People Political Award Nomination
-
Health6 days agoOyo confirms Lassa fever death in Ibadan, activates emergency response, traces contacts
-
Crime & Court6 days agoJoshua crash: Driver faces fresh charges as court adjourns trial
-
Politics1 week agoOyo APC to Makinde: Impeachment Plot Claim Is a Bad Script Written to Attract Sympathy