Lawan: I didn’t support tenure elongation for Buhari

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has debunked reports which alleged
that he is favourably disposed to support a tenure extension for
President Muhammadu Buhari.

Lawan in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Ola
Awoniyi, in Abuja, said he firmly stands by the constitutional
provision for term limit for elected public officers and would not
support any move to amend the section.

The statement reads: “The Office of the President of the Senate
has noted a tweet by one Cmr Mayor attributing a fabricated
statement to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.

“In the mischievous tweet, the Senate President was quoted as
saying he “won’t mind a constitutional amendment to allow unlimited
term of office for President if President Buhari wishes to remain
in office beyond 2023.”

“Our initial reaction was to ignore the ignoble mischief
especially since it is not new, having been posted two years ago on
27 March 2019.

“But because the tweet has been trending again on social media,
it becomes necessary to issue a formal rebuttal of its purport.

“We therefore say categorically that the Senate President has
never made any such statement, before or after 2019.

“The old tweet which was entirely the handiwork of mischief
makers is now being circulated again on social media by purveyors
of fake news

“The 1999 Constitution has a firm position on the tenure of the
President that reflects the popular stand of Nigerians”

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has debunked reports which alleged
that he is favourably disposed to support a tenure extension for
President Muhammadu Buhari.

Lawan in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Ola
Awoniyi, in Abuja, said he firmly stands by the constitutional
provision for term limit for elected public officers and would not
support any move to amend the section.

The statement reads: “The Office of the President of the Senate
has noted a tweet by one Cmr Mayor attributing a fabricated
statement to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.

“In the mischievous tweet, the Senate President was quoted as
saying he “won’t mind a constitutional amendment to allow unlimited
term of office for President if President Buhari wishes to remain
in office beyond 2023.”

“Our initial reaction was to ignore the ignoble mischief
especially since it is not new, having been posted two years ago on
27 March 2019.

“But because the tweet has been trending again on social media,
it becomes necessary to issue a formal rebuttal of its purport.

“We therefore say categorically that the Senate President has
never made any such statement, before or after 2019.

“The old tweet which was entirely the handiwork of mischief
makers is now being circulated again on social media by purveyors
of fake news

“The 1999 Constitution has a firm position on the tenure of the
President that reflects the popular stand of Nigerians”