2006年VOA标准英语-Nigerian Senate Denies Third Term for Obas

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
16 May 2006

 
Nigeria President Olusegun Obasanjo (File photo) 
  
The Nigerian senate Tuesday voted to throw out a bill to give President Olusegun Obasanjo the option to stand for elections next year.  Gilbert da Costa in Abuja has been following developments in the upper chamber¹ of the parliament and filed this report for VOA.

---------------------------------------

By a voice vote, the Nigeria Senate brought to a close the campaign on a bill to amend² the constitution that would allow President Olusegun Obasanjo to run for a third term in elections next year.
 
The surprise move, which came at the end of the first round of debates on the bill, was greeted with shouts of joy by opponents of the measure. Senator Tokunboh Afikuyomi from Lagos says Tuesday's vote ends the legislative³ process.

"Once the question is put for second reading and it is negative, that means the end of the entire proceeding," he explained.  "And the interesting thing about this is that what happened in the Senate is not only in the Senate, it will also affect deliberation in the House of Representatives because that will also mark the end of that deliberation in the House of Representatives. And also, the proposals will not go to any state house of assembly. So invariably, this terminates the process of constitutional amendment⁴ in this session of the national assembly."

The assembly had come under intense pressure in the past few months amid allegations of bribery⁵ and intimidation⁶. The bill needed two-thirds support of both houses to pass. Afikuyomi says the bill was hugely unpopular.

"For so long as the mass of the majority of Nigerians were resolute⁷ about their objection to the entire process, the third term and its affiliate⁸ proposals, it was obvious and what we have seen today is that when the question was put, they could not even mount a resistance," he added.

A former military ruler, President Obasanjo returned to power in 1999 elections which restored democracy in Africa's most populous⁹ nation after three decades of almost uninterrupted military rule.
 
Elections next year should mark the first time in Nigerian history that a civilian¹⁰ president hands over power to another through elections.

1 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

2 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

3 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

4 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

5 bribery   

n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿

参考例句：

• FBI found out that the senator committed bribery.美国联邦调查局查明这个参议员有受贿行为。
• He was charged with bribery.他被指控受贿。

6 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

7 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

8 affiliate   

vt.使隶(附)属于；n.附属机构，分公司

参考例句：

• Our New York company has an affiliate in Los Angeles.我们的纽约公司在洛杉矶有一个下属企业。
• What is the difference between affiliate and regular membership?固定会员和附属会员之间的区别是什么？

9 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

10 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。