▁S ass ou ▁N gu esso ' s ▁second ▁term ▁approached , ▁and ▁he ▁passed ▁the ▁age ▁limit ▁of ▁ 7 0 ▁years , ▁the ▁r uling ▁Cong ol ese ▁Labour ▁Party ▁( P CT ) ▁promoted ▁public ▁discussion ▁of ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁replacing ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁constitution . ▁While ▁the ▁opposition ▁saw ▁these ▁discuss ions ▁strictly ▁in ▁light ▁of ▁the ▁pres umed ▁intention ▁of ▁S ass ou ▁N gu esso ▁to ▁remain ▁in ▁power ▁beyond ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁P CT ▁argued ▁that ▁a ▁new ▁constitution ▁would ▁provide ▁for ▁better ▁govern ance , ▁and ▁S ass ou ▁N gu esso ▁himself ▁said ▁nothing ▁about ▁whether ▁or ▁not ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁re - e lection . ▁Event ually ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁a ▁refer endum ▁would ▁be ▁held ▁on ▁a ▁proposed ▁new ▁constitution , ▁and ▁on ▁ 5 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁refer endum ▁would ▁be ▁held ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁October . ▁ ▁Pro posed ▁changes ▁The ▁draft ▁constitution ▁was ▁divided ▁into ▁ 2 4 6 ▁articles . ▁It ▁would ▁allow ▁a ▁person ▁to ▁be ▁elected ▁as ▁President ▁three ▁times , ▁eliminate ▁an ▁age ▁limit ▁of ▁ 7 0 ▁years ▁for ▁candidates , ▁and ▁reduce ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁president ial ▁terms ▁from ▁seven ▁years ▁to ▁five ▁years . ▁While ▁elimin ating ▁the ▁maximum ▁age ▁limit , ▁it ▁would ▁reduce ▁the ▁minimum ▁age ▁requirement ▁for ▁candidates ▁from ▁ 4 0 ▁to ▁ 3 0 ▁years . ▁It ▁would