Robert Clarke, a senior lawyer, wants President Buhari’s term to be extended

Chief Robert Clarke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has asked for President Muhammadu Buhari’s term to be extended.

When he appeared on AriseTV, the Elder Statesman made the decision.

Clarke stated that the months leading up to the 2023 elections are insufficient to reduce insecurity and allow an election to be held.

The constitution, according to the senior statesman, allows the President to extend his term by six months in the first instance if he believes the conditions are not conducive to holding an election.“The Constitution provides that the President can stay longer than eight years. I’ve always said it. It is in the Constitution. If the situation in which we’re in now continues, and it is impossible to vote in the 2023 election, the constitution says if a situation persists, the President will write INEC in view of all insurgencies, in view of kidnappings, in view of Boko Haram, I don’t think in these different areas of Nigeria, we can have a good election.

The Constitution says I am going to stay for six months and in the first instance. So, the fact that the Constitution says the president cannot stay for more than eight years is wrong. Because the same constitution says he can give himself six months if those conditions persist.

Now, I don’t see any green light. I don’t see how what is happening today can be stopped within a period of six months from today or before February next year when the elections will be held.

The alternative then is for Mr. President to continue as president, allow the security watches to carry up the mopping up and Nigeria will become stable.

Because I swear to God Almighty, without stability in Nigeria, without security, Nigeria is going nowhere. No foreigner will bring his money and put in any business in Nigeria, when he knows that any of his expatriates who are sent to Nigeria can be kidnapped at any time. So, until all these things are sorted out, I don’t see any green light.”

If nothing happens before the elections, God forbids, this country will be in flames,” Clarke was quoted as saying