Buhari Rejects Insinuation of Third Term, Says It’s Uninformed

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday night rejected rumours making the rounds on social media that he was seeking to amend the constitution to spend a third term in office.

He described the insinuation as inconceivable and uninformed.
The president was reacting to messages and commentaries on social media, alleging that he had no intention to leave office upon the expiration of his second term.

The insinuation became stronger when some of his supporters began to stage demonstrations, urging him to go for a third term.
But in a swift reaction to the campaign and insinuations Tuesday night, the president, according to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said under no circumstance could he amend the constitution to give him a third term.

Describing the insinuation as ill-conceived, the statement said Buhari had no intention to stay in office beyond 2023.
He also described any attempt to take such steps as not only wrong but also unconstitutional.
The statement described Buhari as a democrat who respects the constitution, and any attempt to amend the constitution to secure an unconstitutional third term will ultimately fail.

The statement read: “The Presidency wishes to correct
internet-based gossip and un-informed media commentary regarding presidential term limits, given credence by so-called support groups, staging street demonstrations asking President Muhammadu Buhari to do a third term.

“There are no circumstances – nor set of circumstances – under which President Buhari may seek to amend the Constitution regarding the two-term term limit on holding office as President.

“President Buhari intends to serve his full second elected term in office, ending 2023 – and then there shall be a general election in which he will not be a candidate.

“There is not even the faintest possibility that this will change. It is important to note that there was a past attempt to change the Constitution to allow for the-then incumbent president to stand for a third term.

“That attempt was wrong, unconstitutional – and rightly rebuffed. No such attempt will happen under this President.
“President Buhari is a democrat. He respects the Constitution. Any activity aimed at altering the two-term limit will not succeed and shall never have his time nor support.”