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3rd term: We’ll shock Obasanjo - Chukwumerije
By FEMI BABAFEMI
Tuesday April 18, 2006


•Chukwumerijie
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Arrowhead of the team of lawmakers opposed to the third term agenda in the National Assembly, Senator Uche Chukwumerije has said that rude shock awaits President Olusegun Obasanjo and other proponents of the plot when debates start on the controversial constitution amendment in the Assembly.

Chukwumerije who told Daily Sun that his group has the numerical strength to block the passage of any bill, which endorses elongation of tenure for President Obasanjo, declared: “all I want to say is that the president and his backers are going to get a rude shock that day.

We are going to prove that not everyone has a price in Nigeria and certain issues are beyond material negotiations.”
He stated that instead of the material inducement being used by third term proponents to get lawmakers to support the plot, the opposition has been employing persuasive strategies.

“We are working round the clock to bring the grim implications of the passage of this bill to the knowledge of our colleagues and all indications are that we control a comfortable number to block the bill.

“We are not disclosing our numerical strength now because of strategic reasons but we have enough to block the bill,” the senator explained.

He said no one is under-estimating the resolve of the proponents of the bill but stressed that no price would be too much to pay to stop them and their evil agenda.

His words, “supporters of the bill are seriously working on their plot, we expect them to do their worst to subvert the will of legislators and buy their conscience. But they will fail woefully because the issue at stake is too fundamental to be compromised with material inducement, moreso that the whole thing involves the future of our children, the future of Nigeria and the future of democracy.
“Any attempt to do anything against any of our members will be an ill wind which will blow nobody any good. Anything is possible, so we are prepared.”

The senator explained that from the day he took the decision to oppose the third term agenda, he was prepared for the ultimate price.

“I am not afraid. Our lives are in the hands of God. If the situation is such that if you move forward, you die, if you move backward, you die, then I choose to move forward and die. I don’t want to sound heroic,” he added.

He counseled his colleagues that are still supporting tenure elongation for President Obasanjo to fix their mind on the future rather than the next election. “When you cast your vote on the day, vote with an eye on next generation, and not on next election,” he admonished.

As for President Obasanjo, the senator said he would have to choose between third term and a honourable retirement.

“President Obasanjo will have to choose between preserving all he has achieved in the last seven years and retire home in glory and honour, and trying to force his way through with third term and see all he has done fall down and scatter like a pack of cards,” he said.

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