National Conference now over: Chairman of Conference, Justice Kutigi hands over Report to President Jonathan

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <img alt="Kutigi hands over report ynaija" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-297821" height="396" src="http://ynaija.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Kutigi-hands-over-report-ynaija-300x186.jpg" width="640" /><br /> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yesterday, retired Justice and chairman of the National Conference, Idris Kutigi yesterday wrapped up the talkshop officially by submitting the panel report– with over 600 resolutions approved – to the President, Goodluck Jonathan. He thanked the president for his “unusual coverage” in convening the conference. “It was only expected that tempers would fly and tempers did fly,” he said. “Mr President, we did not try to ignore or bury our differences,” he said. “On behalf of the delegates to the 2014 national conference, I thank you for your courage in summoning this conference.”<br /><br />Read More: <a href="http://kevindjakpor.blogspot.com/2014/08/photo-kutigi-hands-over-final-confab.html#ixzz3B8wNYWAU" style="text-decoration: none;">http://kevindjakpor.blogspot.com/2014/08/photo-kutigi-hands-over-final-confab.html#ixzz3B8wNYWAU</a><br />Follow us: <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=cqsi12R0Gr46eFacwqm_6l&u=kevindjakpor" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@kevindjakpor on Twitter</a> | <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=cqsi12R0Gr46eFacwqm_6l&u=KevinDjakporBlog" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">KevinDjakporBlog on Facebook</a></span><br /> <h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> President Jonathan receiving the Report of the 2014 National Conference from Justice Idris Kutigi today in Abuja</span></span></h3> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizzrUBHho-i-0ZI9cZHqtqQtVSiCLteWTjVv6OejOkqB8Q56t8U7Hwt5rKAOj-m5WHqQUA02GsH_W3qZDK4rZSdoyAalTz8aUU9tTlfnfhOcONnEFRJizk_KhYRZj7qMqMKwTcKtG16Q/s1600/BvkqtolIIAA5clT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizzrUBHho-i-0ZI9cZHqtqQtVSiCLteWTjVv6OejOkqB8Q56t8U7Hwt5rKAOj-m5WHqQUA02GsH_W3qZDK4rZSdoyAalTz8aUU9tTlfnfhOcONnEFRJizk_KhYRZj7qMqMKwTcKtG16Q/s1600/BvkqtolIIAA5clT.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">President Jonathan receiving the Report of the 2014 National Conference from Justice Idris Kutigi today in Abuja.<br /></span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSdZr_TQewkpRWI183mrqHl9yZv0FA2iyXA9UePG-YSVg5gpADcWqyHTQhqoI-3au9O_kive2UuHR-kUS8G5Yv1rdFetl7Q-li5GoeuuqxEOq9RUGc1Aukr7GFEVOmcLqtWf3KSCrU2U/s1600/Bvk-HHkCQAArZmM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSdZr_TQewkpRWI183mrqHl9yZv0FA2iyXA9UePG-YSVg5gpADcWqyHTQhqoI-3au9O_kive2UuHR-kUS8G5Yv1rdFetl7Q-li5GoeuuqxEOq9RUGc1Aukr7GFEVOmcLqtWf3KSCrU2U/s1600/Bvk-HHkCQAArZmM.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">President Jonathan unveiling the 22 vols, 10,335 pp. Official Report of the National Conference, 2014 today in Abuja.<br /></span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJP988jdPoaYMG_rsvhlU0AXvahEcTXSUd6UwsEH4-SlbzBvzgWvhyphenhyphengZz1We63SL8iolTeG5m3QAws6Uj09MtzIhzUqnyjw08mRY-LREPlvCI03q4WYvxHpC_TTN2hOUehNUj6Xt7amGg/s1600/Bvk5-v5CMAIN9Mx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJP988jdPoaYMG_rsvhlU0AXvahEcTXSUd6UwsEH4-SlbzBvzgWvhyphenhyphengZz1We63SL8iolTeG5m3QAws6Uj09MtzIhzUqnyjw08mRY-LREPlvCI03q4WYvxHpC_TTN2hOUehNUj6Xt7amGg/s1600/Bvk5-v5CMAIN9Mx.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">President Jonathan arriving for the closing ceremony of the 2014 National Conference today in Abuja<br /><br /></span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsOtpPY91sdahNKIjSvnmY6SuNWICVTdIdoZA1GqFg2ncCrc4foxNF0BreTY-TEFp72WihSDWyFQuR8I1X58tqL36P8Wpfg8EAdZP0Pd-RouHssdpPOQPwuioAaDPRiVLjOq0InZvytk/s1600/Bvk9piSCUAAHMsd+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRsOtpPY91sdahNKIjSvnmY6SuNWICVTdIdoZA1GqFg2ncCrc4foxNF0BreTY-TEFp72WihSDWyFQuR8I1X58tqL36P8Wpfg8EAdZP0Pd-RouHssdpPOQPwuioAaDPRiVLjOq0InZvytk/s1600/Bvk9piSCUAAHMsd+(1).jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">President Jonathan, VP Sambo & Justice Kutigi at the Closing Ceremony of the National Conference, 2014.<br /><br /></span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdVGAmxnZpxobipABVYWa73bCECkT43_ESTL7DUDRAu6NkE8frW2xZ4VkWuBMkgQs-940hAN5sVpGi56wH_C-jcEQWqhhdiU4CMgDooG1ShM2xztqVVdvUJFpSJJdVC9zzYY9ug7Tz8o/s1600/BvlA0HmIMAAwGxN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdVGAmxnZpxobipABVYWa73bCECkT43_ESTL7DUDRAu6NkE8frW2xZ4VkWuBMkgQs-940hAN5sVpGi56wH_C-jcEQWqhhdiU4CMgDooG1ShM2xztqVVdvUJFpSJJdVC9zzYY9ug7Tz8o/s1600/BvlA0HmIMAAwGxN.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">AGF Adoke & CJN Aloma Muhktar at the Closing Ceremony of The National Conference, 2014 today in Abuja.</span></div>

National Conference now over: Chairman of Conference, Justice Kutigi hands over Report to President Jonathan

Yesterday, retired Justice and chairman of the National Conference, Idris Kutigi yesterday wrapped up the talkshop officially by submitti...

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Fate of Confab Report Divides Secretariat

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/confab-northern-dels.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Fate of confab report divides secretariat"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="confab northern dels" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/confab-northern-dels-702x336.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 0.8; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Fate of confab report divides secretariat" width="702" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Fate of confab report divides secretariat</span></span></h1> <a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77830#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="fa fa-comments-o" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></span> </span></span></a></header><br /> <div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">• Kutigi, Akinyemi take over supervision of correction of errors in document </b><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ahead of tomorrow’s planned presentation of its report to President Goodluck Jonathan, the leadership of the National Conference has begun a last ditch effort to stave off moves to discredit the document by some delegates.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To this end, the Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi and his deputy, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, have taken over the supervision of correction of errors identified in the report.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The decision to directly supervise the effecting of correction to the errors by Kutigi and Akinyemi followed a suspicion that a senior official of the conference was allegedly working with some delegates from the core North to sabotage the efforts of the leadership to produce an error free report. The aim is to ensure that the report is discredited and rendered impotent.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A total of 85 errors and complaints by delegates regarding the report which has three volumes were sent to the conference’s secretariat last week shortly after the chairman closed the parley’s plenary. The submission of the errors to the secretariat was in compliance with Kutigi’s directive that delegates were free to channel their concerns about the report to the secretariat for correction.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The errors ranged from the removal, omission and addition of some items agreed upon during the plenary. Some of the mistakes are constitutional while others are grammatical and factual.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Northern Delegates’ Forum (NDF) had in a memo signed by its Chairman,</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, raised the alarm over the errors in the report claiming that the situation was a threat to the constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Coomassie later told an Abuja-based newspaper that the report would be rejected if the corrections were not effected to the satisfaction of the delegates.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">However, Daily Sun learnt that the move to effect correction of the identified errors has polarized the secretariat forcing Kutigi to adopt a new measure to handle the issue. The chairman’s decision is to avoid a stigma that would haunt him if the report is rejected on account of a shoddy handling of the report.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A prominent delegate from the North- Central, who doesn’t want to be named, said that one of the management staff has sabotaged efforts to correct the mistakes.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He said: “The secretariat is divided right now. There is the allegation that one of the officials is frustrating efforts of the leadership to correct the mistakes in the report. I don’t know the reason for that, but I want to agree with people who are saying that the man may be working with delegates who are desperate to dent the report so as to throw it into the dustbin.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It is unfortunate that some people would serve as tools for such devious agenda . I know that some delegates especially some of my colleagues from the core north ,after failing to stop the conference from holding want to discredit the report. I am certain that they will also fail”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Daily Sun findings reveal that Kutigi, in what seemed a show of distrust for the conference officials earlier handling the job of correcting the errors, have taken over the assignment alongside Akinyemi. Both now resume at 10am and close at 10 pm daily.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Apart from personally supervising the correction of errors , Kutigi has ordered the printer to relocate to his office . According to the source, the printer is compelled to print all the corrected pages in the presence of the chairman.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The source said, “because Kutigi has lost confidence in the handling of the exercise by the management official I told you about, he has taken over the supervision of every correction. He compelled the printer to print the corrected pages in his presence. He is not leaving anything to chance”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To ensure a tidy handling of the assignment, Kutigi split the job into two. While he is supervising errors that bothered on constitutional and legal issues Akinyemi is handling mistakes identified in the main report.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On why some delegates are plotting to discredit the report, the delegate said, “the fight is about some decisions and resolutions taken. First, some of my colleagues are still not ready to take the resolution of local governments and state police. They wanted the conference to reverse the decision removing local government from the federating unit. The new move is to discredit the report and force the Presidency to reject it.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Unfortunately, the division between delegates from parts of the North and South on these issues crept into the secretariat of the conference. Some members of the secretariat are seen as being pro-Jonathan while some from the North see the position of their brothers and sisters on local governments, state police etc as being in order. I think that is the challenge that the secretariat is grappling with right now. Until the report is presented to Mr President, the fight will continue”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In a recent chat with Daily Sun, a vocal delegate from the North, Buba Galadima, said: “I object to the issue of the dissolution of local government. I don’t believe that it is in the interest of Nigeria that we dissolve the local governments. We should rather maintain the local governments as a third tier of government. I will continue to say and defend at any level that we need the local government as presently constituted. If there are inequities in the distribution of local government we must find a way of addressing these inequities and inequality in the number and size of councils.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Some people out of hate and spite tried to compare lagos and Kano without looking at the parameters that were used in creating local government areas in these two states”. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The presentation of the conference’s report to President Jonathan is expected to take place tomorrow. The delegates are to hold a parting dinner today.</span></div> <div id="adscontainer" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.857; margin: 0px 0px 1.857em; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Fate of Confab Report Divides Secretariat

Fate of confab report divides secretariat   • Kutigi, Akinyemi take over supervision of correction of errors in document    A...

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CONFAB: Fireworks that Made Core Northern Delegates a Minority

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/bolaji-akinyemi.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Confab: Fireworks that made core Northern delegates minority"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="bolaji akinyemi" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="300" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/bolaji-akinyemi.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Confab: Fireworks that made core Northern delegates minority" width="612" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Confab: Fireworks that made core Northern delegates minority</span></span></h1> <a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77380#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="fa fa-comments-o" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></span> </span></span></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77380#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77380#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></a><a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77380#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></a></header><div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After days of grandstanding and fierce opposition to the new draft constitution, delegates from the north (North-east and North-west) at the just concluded Na­tional Conference on Thursday made a u-turn. The sudden u-turn did not come without strong back room politicking and building of consensus by delegates from the south and their North-central coun­terparts.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The interplay started on Monday, soon after delegates reconvened from a 3-week break. Secretary of the Confer­ence, Mrs Valerie Azinge had stood in for the chairman, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi. She had told delegates that plenary was not going to hold in order to enable them study three voluminous documents that had been distributed to them.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“There will be no sitting until Wednes­day,” she announced. “The chairman has asked me to inform that the documents given to you should be studied carefully and deliberations will start on Wednesday.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“You are supposed to have the main re­port which contains two volumes. There is a bound draft constitution. In it, you have the current Nigerian constitution. The sec­ond column contains all the amendments made on this floor.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The third fusion contains all amend­ments that you suggested. You also have a bill that will be used to introduce it as an amendment.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“In the event that you do not have the documents that I have mentioned, kindly approach us in the secretariat, and we will give them to you. We have the documents. It is not easy to distribute all the docu­ments,” she had added.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One of the documents was tagged “New Draft Constitution 2014”. Soon after her announcement, delegates kicked, demand­ing for explanations from the Conference secretariat on the origin of the draft consti­tution. Although southern delegates equal­ly expressed shock over the development, northern delegates apparently vented out their anger.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sani Zoro, a northern delegate queried the source of the draft constitution. He had said: “Some have called this a strange doc­ument. We are going to go through them and we will reconvene here to deliberate on it. I just want to ask about the where about of the chairman and his depu ty. In this era of Ebola virus, one needs to be sure that they are okay. There is need to ask af­ter them.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to several others that spoke after the Conference adjourned till last Wednesday, the new constitution which is part of the voluminous documents dis­tributed were not part of what was agreed upon before they went on a long break.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Northern delegates, not ready to give the Conference secretariat a soft landing, called a press conference where they al­leged that the draft constitution was Presi­dent Goodluck Jonathan’s covert plan of gunning for third term in office. Their stance was supported by other northern leaders and governors.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Prepared and ready to engage their southern counterparts in a free for all war during plenary last Wednesday, Northern delegates came prepared. Their Plans to sabotage the proceedings were jettisoned by the chairman of the Conference, Justice Kutigi.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kutigi who presided over the brief meet­ing before delegates adjourned again till last Thursday, maintained that contrary to condemnation by core n orthern delegates that had trailed the draft constitution which was distributed to members on Monday, there was no plan by the leadership of the Conference to draft a new constitution for the country.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Not ready to allow their northern col­leagues to take the lead, delegates from North-central, South-east, South-south and South-west teamed up in a counter move to frustrate plans by delegates from North-east and North-west to sabotage the final consideration of the Conference reports.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kutigi’s smart move on Wednesday also saved the Conference from unnecessary fireworks. Prior to Wednesday’s proceed­ings, core northern delegates had drafted a proposal which they had planned to read during the meeting and then submit same to the secretariat.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sensing that there was going to be trou­ble, Kutigi told delegates that they could submit their grievances ab out any section of the draft documents to the Conference secretariat, after which the necessary cor­rections would be effected. While his sug­gestion received applause from southern and middle-belt delegates, core northern delegates kicked and insisted on raising the issues during plenary.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In his brief remarks, Kutigi had told the Conference: “I welcome you back after the break of the past two weeks. We are in our final lap of the Conference. I apologise for the inconveniences you might have expe­rienced for the shift in date of our resump­tion.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“When you look at the heavy volume made out of the draft report, the notes and proceedings, as well as the 1999 constitu­tion, with amendment, proposed by you, then you will understand the amount of work we undertook in preparation for this week’s meeting.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Let me at this stage, stress this point. We have prepared this draft report to the best of our ability and with all honesty. But we are human beings who can make mis­takes.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We are therefore making available cop­ies of the draft so that if we have any doubt about any issue, you can cross check. If you have any doubt at the veracity of any issue, you can cross check with the votes and proceedings and then raise the issue and corrections will be accepted.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Let me repeat. We have prepared the main report with all honesty and diligence. Any mistake will be due to human error and without any ulterior motif.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">”We have been thinking of how to go about it without having any problems. Since everybody has a copy of what we are to consider, everybody should write what he intends to correct and submit to the sec­retariat.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We want you to write whatever correc­tion you have. Bring it to the secretariat and we will tabulate it. For that reason, we shall be suspending this session in order to allow delegates put down their remarks.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kutigi had also announced a fresh meeting with regional leaders in a move to break any hiccup that was going to arise during Thursday’s plenay when delegates reconvened to consider the final report of the Conference.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I will be meeting the leaders of the dif­ferent delegations while other delegates write their comment on the report. Let us make it tomorrow (today) then so that the secretariat can tidy up the report for a final consideration,” he had announced.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Soon after the adjournment, southern leaders and their middle-belt counter­parts held a press conference where they openly condemned plans by any section of the country or individuals to sabotage the huge successes the Conference had recorded.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At the press conference, Chief Olu Fa­lae, represented the South-west, General Ike Nwanchukwu (retd) represented the South-east, Chief Edwin Clark represent­ed the South-south, while Mr John Dara stood in for North-central. The regional leaders had unanimously agreed that no individual or group inserted anything into the draft documents, as were being ru­moured by northern delegates. They had said those making the arguments were mischief makers who were bent on keep­ing the country hostage.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">During the press conference, General Nwanchukwu said the Conference had succeeded in liberating minority groups in the country and had placed every Nigerian on the same level. He said for once, issues that have held the country down had fi­nally been resolved. The regional leaders had openly expressed their willingness to back the leadership of the Conference and added that anyone who felt aggrieved could formally write to the Conference leadership.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The leaders said there is no third term agenda as being rumoured by core north­ern delegates. Chief Falae said delegates from certain sections of the country are angry because the Conference has suc­ceeded in reversing the status quo.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">With the new marriage between south­ern leaders and their middle-belt counter­parts, core northern delegates eventually ended up in the minority.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Last Thursday, after the Conference successfully adopted the revised draft resolutions, northern delegates who had vowed to shoot down the final report of the Conference, following what they termed as “plans to smuggle in new clauses”, over­whelmingly supported their colleagues from the south and middle-belt.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Addressing a similar  press conference on Thursday after the leadership of the National Conference officially declared the Conference closed, former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie said, contrary to views held by Nigerians, the north had always supported the Conference.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Although many northern delegates had always opposed many actions taken by the Conference leadership, Coomassie who spoke on behalf of Northern Delegates’ Forum (NDF), however declared that their actions were aimed at strengthening the outcome of the Conference.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Coomassie said their only grouse with the Conference leadership was the phrase “New Draft Constitution 2014.” He told journalists that some of their actions were misinterpreted. According to him, northern delegates were all working in the collective interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. He added that no part of the nation loves the country more than the other, as being peddled by some people.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Coomassie insisted that the final out­come of the Conference had proven their critics wrong. “We are working in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians,” Coo­massie had said. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">With the official termination of the Con­ference, the new battle now shifts to the National Assembly where many northern delegates and their governors are believed to have infiltrated in a move to frustrate the report which is expected to be forward­ed by President Jonathan in the coming weeks. Although many northern delegates have openly denied the reports, others have openly expressed their desire to ensure that anything that works against the interest of the north is thwarted.</span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

CONFAB: Fireworks that Made Core Northern Delegates a Minority

Confab: Fireworks that made core Northern delegates minority   After days of grandstanding and fierce opposition to the new draft...

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CONFAB: Tension forces delegates to adjourn after 14 minutes

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ABUJA — THE National Conference, yesterday, held its shortest session since it began about four months ago when it hurriedly adjourned amid tension after sitting for about 14 minutes.</span><br /> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The adjournment was on the heels of a heated atmosphere at the Andrews Otutu Obaseki hall, venue of the plenary following disagreements between core North and Southern/Middle-Belt delegates over the reports and proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Some northern delegates, who had at a press briefing,Tuesday, rejected the draft constitution amendment prepared by the conference leadership, saying they were never part of it, insisting that that they would never support it.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The document formed part of the documents distributed to delegates when they reconvened, Monday, after almost a month break that started on July 14.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This happened on a day that Southern and Middle-Belt led by Chief E.K Clark, Chief Olu Falae, General Ike Nwachukwu and John Dara said there was no hidden agenda in the report, saying it was insulting to say that the delegates were hammering out a third term agenda for President Goodluck Jonathan. They said that the documents contained what all delegates at the conference agreed on.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As the confab meets today to ratify the report, some northern had already written to the Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi to dissociate themselves from the draft constitution prepared by the leadership of the conference and distributed to delegates, Monday. They said they were shocked and totally surprised at the appearance of the documents; they threatened that they will not be a party to the adoption of the report or any part by voice vote and urge the leadership of the conference to be strictly guided by the Conference Procedure Rules, 2014.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Countering, the Southern and Middle-Belt delegates said those opposing the reports were bent on scuttling the conference and vowed to pass the report today.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We prepared the report with honesty, diligence – Kutigi</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As soon as he came in at 10.35a.m. and commenced plenary at 10. 37a.m., Kutigi told delegates that the reports were prepared by the Secretariat with all honesty and diligence with no hidden agenda. He appealed to them to work together, stressing that as humans they could make mistakes, adding that there was no draft constitution, but mere amendment.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As part of moves to cool frayed nerves, a delegate on the platform of former House of Representatives Forum, Chief Obi Anoliofo moved for adjournment and it was seconded by Mrs. Felicia Sani, a delegate on the platform of Market Women Association.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Kutigi urged delegates to study the documents given to them and send their observations to the conference secretariat for collation.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To further  enhance the process of approving the draft report, Kutigi summoned a meeting of leaders of delegation from the geo-political zones to discuss certain critical issues and asked that the leadership of each group should meet with him inside the office of the Deputy Chairman of the conference, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How reports were prepared</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The chairman said in line with the resolution of the Conference, the reports were prepared to cover constitutional issues based on amendments agreed upon by the delegates; policy issues meant for implementation by the President; and legislative issues earmarked for enactment into laws by the National Assembly.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Justice Kutigi explained that the copy labeled “draft constitution” contained the various alterations and amendments to the 1999 Constitution “proposed by you.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After the brief address, delegates applauded the chairman by clapping for some minutes, signifying their agreement with his explanation and readiness to discuss and approve the draft reports.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Justice Kutigi said all groups and individuals should study the report and diligently write out areas that need to be corrected and submit them to the Conference Secretariat for compilation and presentation to the Conference when delegates reconvene today.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Shonibare replaces Olaniwun Ajayi</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Before adjourning the session, Justice Kutigi announced the presence of a new delegate, Supo Shonibare, who replaced Olaniwun Ajayi from the South-West and a minute silence was observed by delegates for late Professor Mohammed Nur Alkali.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Northern delegates write Kutigi</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">However, after the plenary, some Northern delegates wrote Justice Idris Kutigi to dissociate themselves from the draft constitution prepared by the leadership of the conference.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the letter signed by Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and former Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Coomasie and erstwhile Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Gen. Jerry Useni, they said: “We call upon the leadership of the conference to discountenance and withdraw the draft constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2014 and the accompanying bills, which have been circulated.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We urge the Conference leadership to table the Draft Conference Report which contains only the resolutions openly and officially sanctioned and adopted by delegates for validation and adoption as provided for under the National Conference Procedure Rules, 2014 and as envisaged in the Work Plan adopted</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“For the avoidance of doubt, we shall not be a party to the adoption of the report or any part thereof by voice vote. We urge the leadership of the Conference to be strictly guided by the Conference Procedure Rules, 2014.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The letter   continued: “You may recall that on June 30, 2014, while making observations on a matter of urgent public interest and national importance which touched on the integrity of conference proceedings, a member drew the attention of delegates to series of publications in the press alleging that the leadership of Conference was lobbying members to adopt a new constitution. Arising from debates on the matter by members and explanations from members concerned, the Leadership assured delegates that it knew nothing about the existence of any constitution or a hidden agenda, whereupon, Conference resolved to close the matter.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“To our utter shock, astonishment and surprise, the Secretary of the Conference distributed an assortment of documents including one entitled “Report of the National Conference, 2014 DRAFT CONSTITUION” which is also accompanied by draft Bills to promulgate into law the “CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, 2014”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We hereby categorically state that our members are not party or privy to any decision and certainly did not participate in any processes or proceedings to draft a constitution or Bills. Quite on the contrary, we have, in no uncertain terms, expressed our objections to any such project under any guise. Moreover and to the best of our knowledge, we are unaware that the Conference has, whether at plenary or committee stages of its work, taken a decision to draw up a draft constitution, authorized or tasked any of its Committees, delegates or the Conference Secretariat to do so.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“In view of this, we hereby dissociate ourselves from and totally reject the Draft Constitution already circulated. Furthermore we wish to formally notify you that our members condemn the brazen attempt by the Leadership of the Conference to impose on us a Draft Constitution whose ownership and knowledge the leadership has denied and which is not attributed to any person. It is a document whose authorship we absolutely have no hand in. In our view, the draft constitution circulated is a document of dubious and questionable origins.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“By our assessment, the content of the Draft Constitution is replete with extraneous matters and issues that bear no relations to the resolutions adopted by Conference and many of which are at variance or in conflict with Conference resolution or in respect of which no decision has been taken.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/confab-tension-forces-delegates-adjourn-14-minutes/#sthash.wdTnOtJX.dpuf</span><br /> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“For sample particulars of some extraneous issues, Inconsistencies and unsubstantiated inclusions and exclusions contained in the Draft Constitution refer to Sections 2(A) at page 12; 8(1) (h), 8 (2) a – h at page 15; new section 9(2) a – c at page 19; new section 162(1A) and 5(A) at page 143; and the deletion of section 315 at page 266. These various provisions pertain to issues of State Constitution, boundary adjustment, referendum to adopt Constitution, funding for Local Government Areas, and deletion of Land Use Act and the abrogation of all existing laws, which the section has entrenched and saved respectively.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We are opposed to the draft being considered by the Conference for the following additional reasons:   The National Conference comprises unelected members, its composition has violated universal democratic principles and is, hence, unrepresentative. As a consequence, delegates cannot claim to be speaking for the people.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Having been established by executive fiat, the Conference lacks the necessary democratic credential, legitimacy or legal or constitutional basis or mandate to assume the exercise of the sovereign will of the people or purport to behave as a Constituent Assembly.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It is incontrovertible that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 contains, very clear provisions, under section 9, and has spelt out explicit rules to govern specific steps to follow to alter its provisions, including the adoption of an entirely new Constitution if deemed desirable.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The procedure for any alteration does not envisage or recognize  “referendum” as a mechanism for bringing about any change to the existing Constitution or the adoption of a new one.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moreover, for any alteration to the constitution to be legitimate or credible, it must be validated by the concurrent adoption of the National Assembly and the resolution in support of 2/3 (24) of the Houses of Assembly of the States where this is assented to by the President.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It would be a ridiculous perversion of all known constitutional and legal norms for the Conference to purport to consider or adopt the Draft Constitution without being clothed with necessary mandate and in total disregard or violation of the existing legal and constitutional order.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It excites our curiosity to wonder why anybody would seek to adopt a purported Constitution whose effective date is 2014 during the currency of incumbent elected officials in clear violation of the existing constitution under which they have been elected and which they have sworn to abide by, uphold, and defend This would amount to a blatant subversion of the existing constitutional and legal order.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“As proposed, the draft Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2014 has negated or preempted and dispensed with all due processes related to, for instance, the creation of new States by inserting those proposed without meeting any of the objective criteria set by conference and in the absence of proper boundary demarcation and/or obtaining the consent of affected communities. This is without prejudice to acknowledging the fact that Conference has adopted resolutions for the creation of the named States, which we support in principle.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <br /></div>

CONFAB: Tension forces delegates to adjourn after 14 minutes

ABUJA — THE National Conference, yesterday, held its shortest session since it began about four months ago when it hurriedly adjourned amid...

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Confab: No hidden agenda in draft report – Clark, Falae, Nwachukwu, Dara

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">SOUTHERN and Middle Belt delegates at the National Conference, yesterday, told their northern colleagues and the country that there was no hidden agenda in the draft Constitution produced by the Secretariat of the Conference, saying that it was an insult to allege that President Goodluck Jonathan was planning third term using the delegates.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Drawn from the South- South, South-East and South-West geo- political zones of the country and the Middle Belt, the delegates backed the draft Constitution, which they described as a product of resolutions reached by all delegates including northern delegates.</span></div> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_459559" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 422px;"> <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/confab-hidden-agenda-draft-report-clark-falae-nwachukwu-dara/confab02/" rel="attachment wp-att-459559" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt=".FROM LEFT:FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE, JUCTICE RECHARD AKINJIDE;PRESIDENT MARKET WOMEN ASSOCIATION, CHIEF FELICIA SANNI GOING THROUGH DOCUMENT WITH HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER, MIKE OZEKHOME (SAN) AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN ABUJA ON WEDNESDAY (13/8/14)." class="size-full wp-image-459559" height="250" src="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/confab02.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 1px 1px 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow;" width="412" /></span></a><br /> <div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">FROM LEFT:FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE,<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />JUCTICE RECHARD AKINJIDE;PRESIDENT MARKET WOMEN ASSOCIATION, CHIEF FELICIA SANNI GOING THROUGH DOCUMENT WITH HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER, MIKE OZEKHOME (SAN) AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN ABUJA ON WEDNESDAY<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(13/8/14).</span></div> </div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">They stressed that if the entire report produced by the Conference was fully implemented by President Jonathan, it would give birth to a new Nigeria.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Addressing Journalists yesterday, former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark who noted that the report was not different from what everyone agreed on, adding that rather than castigate the Chairman of the Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi and the Secretariat, they ought to have been commended for producing a perfect and very intelligent report.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Elder</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> statesman</span></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Chief Clark, a delegate on the platform of the Elder Statesmen category was flanked at the briefing by the leader of South-West delegates, Chief Olu Falae; leader of the South-East, General Ike Nwachukwu; Secretary General, Middle Belt Forum, John Dara; Prof. Anya O. Anya; Chief Raymond Dokpesi; Senator Aniete Okon; Charles Edosonwan, SAN; Col. Tony Nyiam; Ms Ann Kio Briggs; Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN; Yinka Odumakin; Chief Femi Okunrounmu; and Prof. Ihechukwu Madubuike, among others.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Northern delegates at the conference had on Tuesday at a press briefing dissociated themselves from the ‘New Constitution’, alleging that it was a plot to bring about a third term agenda by President Jonathan and the governors.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Addressing Journalists on Tuesday at Gombe Jewel Hotel, Wuse 11, Abuja, Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF and former Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Coomasie in company of other northern leaders, warned that if the document which he described as a third term agenda was not killed at the conference, it would like in 2005, lead to anarchy, violence and chaos.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Reacting to the northern delegates comments yesterday, Clark said: “There are no issues that are controversial. We met for about four months and various issues were discussed, debated and about 600 motions were passed by consensus. Everybody agreed. At the end of that we went on two weeks leave.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We were surprised when we came back, there were volumes of papers and reports; looking through them, we want to say it was a very good job. The chairman, Justice Kutigi, his deputy and the Secretary and the entire secretariat, we congratulate them.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Constitutional</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> changes</span></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The reports are three in volume and there are other ancillary papers. I assure you that if the resolutions contained in the report are implemented by government a new Nigeria would be born. We have all learnt a lot for the last months, having been a politician for 50 years, what I learnt in this period is fantastic, so we congratulate the management headed by Kutigi.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It was very unfortunate to learn yesterday that some delegates addressed a press conference on a so-called new constitution. When we were discussing during the conference, we touched on many issues, some of which suggested constitutional changes, some policy and others legislative. What they have done is to put together all the amendments to the 1999 constitution and additional ones, they were not many, where there is need for subtraction they did it and a new document has being produced. And there is nothing wrong if somebody calls it a proposed draft constitution, we have nothing to hide, but that would bring a new change to Nigeria.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“So we want to dispel the idea that there is confusion at the conference, there is disagreement and all of that. We have all met Justice Kutigi and his team today, we have agreed that by tomorrow, we should adopt the reports they have produced on our behalf.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I can tell you that Nigeria has never been united like this before. We have done a good job for Nigeria, it will take time to gather this caliber of delegates to take the resolutions we have taken here. We are appealing to Mr. President therefore that our resolutions as contained in the report should be treated with dispatch to the benefit of Nigerians and a new Nigeria shall be born.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s insulting to say  we are working for some political leaders — Falae, Nwachukwu</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also speaking during yesterday’s press briefing, leader of the South-West delegates and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Chief Olu Falae noted that it was completely false and insulting for any one to allege that they were working for some political leaders.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Let me add very quickly that some falsehood has been injected into the media in the last few days, there were allegations that we are working for some political leaders. That is false and insulting. Since I got to this conference, nobody has tried to influence me or my delegation on any matter whatsoever, and I am sure that is true for all of us.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“There were specific allegations that we had recommended a single tenure of six years for the president that is not true. We said two terms of four years as in the present constitution. So how people manufactured those lies to deceive the public beats me completely. The documents we have are three, volume one and two and the draft constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The information in each of the three is exactly the same. In other words the three contain all our resolutions arrived at by consensus. The first volume presents the reports in prose; the second volume presents the report in tabular form. The draft constitution presents the same conclusions in constitutional format.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Constitutional</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">format</span></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It is the mode of presentation that varies, the information is the same. And there is nothing there that did not come from our decisions and it was agreed this morning that if anybody observes any error, or omission or commission, they should send a paper to the secretariat and it would be corrected on the basis of the hansard that contains the proceedings of the conference and of the votes and proceedings of the conference so there is no room for any disagreement at all at this stage.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Leader of South-East delegates Gen. Ike Ike Nwachukwu, who vowed that they would ensure that no section of the country lords it over others, said: “On our part we have been faithful pursuing our mandate to redesign and redefine Nigeria in which no man or woman will be oppressed and no section of this country lords it over the other any more.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Secondly, no one has asked us to seek a third term for anybody, like it has been said. Anyone who said this is insulting us. The final point I want to make is this, our report and our recommendations should be placed in the public domain so Nigerians can understand what was done and they would then decide whether we have wasted their money and time or we have given them the opportunity to build a new Nigeria.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Middle-belt concurs</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Secretary General of Middle Belt Forum, John Dara, who noted that the reality was that Nigeria would be operating on a new improved constitution at the end of the Conference pledged the total loyalty of Middle Belt people to the document and report of the Conference. “I am the Secretary General of the Middle Belt Forum. I would like to put it on record that the wrong impression that the whole of Northern Nigeria is opposed to the resolutions taken and the reports that are being presented is incorrect. The Middle Belt Forum consists of 14 states out of the 19 states of Northern Nigeria, and the delegations of those states are solidly in support of the outcome of this conference.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Not only that, we are very impressed with the level of integrity and accuracy demonstrated by the secretariat in reflecting our views. We had recommended that the logical outcome of the constitutional changes we have recommended is that there would be a new Constitution or the 1999 constitution be amended. Whichever way, it is an equation of the cup being half full or half empty.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Allegation designed to rubbish the Conference and leadership – Ondo delegates</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also yesterday, delegates  representing Ondo State said they were not part of any alleged plot to use the Conference to get a Third Term agenda for President Jonathan or any other political office holder in the country as alleged by the Northern Delegates Forum.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In a statement yesterday by the Leader of the delegation and the State Commissioner for Vocational and Technical Education, Mr. Remi Olatubora, noted that the allegation was designed to smear the good work done by the delegates and leadership of the conference.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Noting was smuggled into the Constitution – Umeh, Ozekhome</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also a delegate National Chairman of the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, described the northern delegates, who described the draft Constitution as a third term as those introducing an agenda to scuttle the 2014 National Conference.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Speaking with Journalists yesterday, Umeh having failed during the plenary and at committee level, the Northern delegates want to hide under the alleged third term to rubbish the work of the delegates and the leadership of the Conference, adding that they would surely fail.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In like manner, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) said that nothing was smuggled into the reports handed over to delegates by the secretariat as being alleged, stressing that it amounts to an insult for some delegates to input such allegations with the caliber of persons at the conference and for the fact that proceedings during the conference were aired live for Nigerians and the world to watch.</span></div> <br /></div>

Confab: No hidden agenda in draft report – Clark, Falae, Nwachukwu, Dara

SOUTHERN and Middle Belt delegates at the National Conference, yesterday, told their northern colleagues and the country that there was no...

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Contest and plunge Nigeria into violence, anarchy, Northern delegates warn Jonathan, others

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By Henry Umoru<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />ABUJA – NORTHERN delegates at the on- going National Conference have threatened that if President Goodluck Jonathan presents himself for re- election in the 2015 presidential election, it would plunge the country into political chaos.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to the Northern delegates, the draft  Constitution as prepared by the Justice Idris  Kutigi led Secretariat was a third term agenda designed primarily to allow for President Jonathan, other incumbent elective office holders whom they alleged as not qualified to contest to run for the election, even as they warned that if allowed to sail through, it has  the potential of throwing the country into violence and anarchy.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Addressing Journalists Tuesday at Gombe Jewel Hotel, Wuse 11, Abuja, Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF and former Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Coomasie warned that if the document which he described as a third term agenda was not killed at the conference, it would like in 2005, lead to anarchy, violence and chaos.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The northern delegates who distanced themselves from the draft Constitution, however noted that its appearance on Monday was a surprise to them as well as shocking and what they described as disappointment to them as northern delegates and Nigerians in general, just a they said  that as members of the National Conference and by constitution, it was not within the purview of delegates to draft a new constitution, adding that the document was illegal.</span></div> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_459331" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 422px;"> <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/contest-plunge-nigeria-violence-anarchy-northern-delegates-warn-jonathan-others/useni2/" rel="attachment wp-att-459331" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="IGP Ibrahim Coomasie, addressing Journalists with Mohammed Umara Kumalia to his right; Lt. Gen. Jerry Useni; Prof. Iyorchia Ayu; Air Vice Marshal Mutari Mohammed; AVM Mutari Mohammed. Pictures by Henry Umoru" class="size-full wp-image-459331" height="250" src="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Useni2.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 1px 1px 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow;" width="412" /></span></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">IGP Ibrahim Coomasie, addressing Journalists with Mohammed Umara Kumalia to his right; Lt. Gen. Jerry Useni; Prof. Iyorchia Ayu; Air Vice Marshal Mutari Mohammed; AVM Mutari Mohammed. Pictures by Henry Umoru</span></div> </div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Coomasie said, ” Given the observation under (iv) above, adopting a new Constitution is therefore calculated to enable incumbent elective office holders who are statute-barred from going for 3rd Term at both Federal and State levels, to run for offices again under the guise of running under a new Constitution. This will also have the consequential effect of depriving aspiring politicians from all political parties, as well as all Nigerians, of their rights to choices and preferences as enshrined in the constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“If not arrested, the 3rd Term agenda, as in the past (2005), is capable of plunging Nigeria into another circle of political chaos with potential of violence and anarchy.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We, Northern Delegates to the Conference wish to assure patriotic Nigerians, and all lovers of democracy, that we are neither privy to, nor were we accessory to the emergence of the controversial “New Draft Constitution 2014″. We, therefore, unequivocally disown it, and emphatically disassociate ourselves from it. Accordingly, we will have nothing to do with it, for the following legal, moral and political reasons:</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Delegates to the conference were not elected, and therefore lack both legal, and moral authority to draft a new constitution for the Nigerian Federation. Rather, we were constituted to serve as an ad hoc advisory mechanism for to The President, as representatives of broad interests across the federation, and cannot, therefore, legally arrogate ourselves the far-reaching function of making a “new” constitution for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That can only be done by an appropriately constituted Constituent Assembly.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The Secretariat of the Conference has indicated in chapter 7 of the draft Report Vol. 1 that the so called ‘new Constitution’ is to be brought into effect through a national referendum to be specifically held for the purpose. To this we say, without any fear of contradiction, that there is no legal provision in our Constitution for the holding of such a referendum. The reference to a referendum, made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his inauguration address at the National Conference on 17th March<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />2014, was purely speculative, as it was predicated on the National Assembly introducing a provision in the Constitution that will permit the holding of referendum<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />“… if at the end of the de liberation the need for a referendum arises”. We want to say, with authority, that such a proposal has since been turned down by the National Assembly. Inquiries at both the Senate and House of Representatives have since shown that efforts at tabling the case for referendum, through private member-bills, were rejected twice, and cannot, therefore, be reintroduced in the life of the present Senate.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“From the foregoing, it is now abundantly clear that the conference has been infiltrated by fifth -columnists whose goal is to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper, but avoidable political Crisis.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(iv) To all intent and purposes, the introduction of a “new<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Constitution 2014″ for Nigeria, is a calculated attempt by some people to take advantage of Court of Appeal’s ruling in 2003, as delivered by Justice George Adesola Oguntade, (JCA as he then was) in the celebrated case of Attorney-General of the Federation Vs. ANPP, and Others (A.G, Fed. v. A.N.P.P. [2003] 15 NWLR (Pt. 844).</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Wherein Governor Abubakar Abdu of Kogi State (then) was challenged over his eligibility to run for a second term in 2003, having had a first term which ended in May 2003. The contention was that having been champion and uphold democratic principles, as enshrined in the constitution and other legitimate sources of law-making.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It would be recalled that as delegates resumed plenary on Monday after a month break,  the Conference Secretariat prepared a draft Constitution to be sent to the National Assembly which was distributed along side the Bill and two volumes of the final report of the Conference to delegates. It contained  some alterations in the Constitution as part of the recommendations  during Committee sittings and plenary.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Coomasie, a delegate representing the North West Zone was flanked at the briefing after the over two hours meeting of the Northern Delegates by Mohammed Umara Kumalia; Lt. Gen. Jerry Useni; Prof. Iyorchia Ayu; Bashir Dalhatu; Gen. Salihu Ibrahim; Amb. Ibrahim Gambari; Air Vice Marshal Mutari Mohammed; Emir of Askira, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibn Muhammed.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The hall was full to the brim by the Northern Delegates. Some delegates who were present include,  Senator Saidu Dansadau; Col. Bala Mande; Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai: Senator Ahmed Aruwa; Hajia Aishatu Isma’il; Gen. A.B. Mamman; Arc. Ibrahim Bunu; Sani Zoro; Hauwa Evelyn Shekarau; Nurudeen Lemu; Naseer Kura; Ishaq Modibbo Kawu; Magaji Dambatta; among others.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After reading the five page text, Coomasie and other delegates however refused questions from Journalists.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The text read in full, “You are welcome, and we thank you for responding to our invitation.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Our purpose for holding this press conference is to brief you, and through you the entire country, about the latest developments at this crucial stage of the 2014 National Conference. As citizens of Nigeria, we are greatly concerned about this development and its wider implications to sustainable democracy, political stability, peace, and development of our Country.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The first indication that there was going to be problem was on Monday 30th June, 2014, when a front page report in a national daily (Daily Trust) alleged that a member of the leadership of the conference had been lobbying members of the Northern Delegation to be able to smuggle in a “new constitution” at the conference. A delegate drew the attention of the Conference to the publication under MATTERS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE:  the integrity of the Leadership of the Conference and it was demanded that the Leadership should make a categorical statement on the issue.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The Leadership claimed ignorance of the existence of any such document and demanded to see a copy of it. This was immediately made available, and after going though it, the Conference Chairman made the following statement as reflected in the Conference Hansard of Monday 30th June, 2014, on page 14:</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We know nothing about the paper in circulation. We know nothing of the consideration of any Committee, we formed no Committee apart from the standing Committee we set up …We are not aware of that…We have nothing to do with it. That matter should be closed!”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Ordinarily, the matter of a “new constitution” should have died a natural death. But that was not to be. The issue was brought over and over again in the course of plenary sessions, but each time it was overwhelmingly rejected by the delegates. And when attempts were made to bring in the issue of “referendum”, as a means of actualising the outcome of the conference, it was always strongly and painstakingly explained that the operating Constitution does not have any provision for such a referendum. The only instance when a referendum can be held is in relation to the creation of new states or boundry adjustment, per the provision of Section 8 of the CFRN 1999 (as amended).</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“You are aware, by now, of the surprise, shock and disappointment with which not only delegates to the conference, but many patriotic Nigerians, have reacted to news of the sudden appearance of a “New Draft Constitution 2014”, among other documents distributed to delegates, when we resumed at plenary, last Monday, August, 11, 2014.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We, Northern Delegates to the Conference wish to assure patriotic Nigerians, and all lovers of democracy, that we are neither privy to, nor were we accessory to the emergence of the controversial “New Draft Constitution 2014”. We, therefore, unequivocally disown it, and emphatically disassociate ourselves from it. Accordingly, we will have nothing to do with it, for the following legal, moral and political reasons:</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“(i) Delegates to the conference were not elected, and therefore lack both legal, and moral authority to draft a new constitution for the Nigerian Federation. Rather, we were constituted to serve as an ad hoc advisory mechanism for to The President, as representatives of   broad interests across the federation, and cannot, therefore, legally arrogate ourselves the far-reaching function of making a “new” constitution for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That can only be done by an appropriately constituted Constituent Assembly.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(ii) The Secretariat of the Conference has indicated in chapter 7 of the draft Report Vol. 1 that the so called ‘new Constitution’ is to be brought into effect through a national referendum to be specifically held for the purpose. To this we say, without any fear of contradiction, that there is no legal provision in our Constitution for the holding of such a referendum. The reference to a referendum, made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his inauguration address at the National Conference on 17th March 2014, was purely speculative, as it was predicated on the National Assembly introducing a provision in the Constitution that will permit the holding of referendum “… if at the end of the deliberation the need for a referendum arises”. We want to say, with authority, that such a proposal has since been turned down by the National Assembly.  Inquiries at both the Senate and House of Representatives have since shown that efforts at tabling the case for referendum, through private member-bills, were rejected twice, and cannot, therefore, be reintroduced in the life of the present Senate.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(iii) From the foregoing, it is now abundantly clear that the conference has been infiltrated by fifth-columnists whose goal is to subvert democratic processes and plunge the country into deeper, but avoidable political crisis.<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(iv) To all intent and purposes, the introduction of a “new Constitution 2014” for Nigeria, is a calculated attempt by some people to take advantage of Court of Appeal’s ruling in 2003, as delivered by  Justice George Adesola Oguntade, (JCA as he then was) in the celebrated case of Attorney-General of the Federation Vs. ANPP, and Others (A.G, Fed. v. A.N.P.P. [2003] 15 NWLR (Pt. 844). Wherein Governor Abubakar Abdu of Kogi State (then) was challenged over his eligibility to run for a second term in 2003, having had a first term which ended in May 2003. The contention was that having been elected Kogi State Governor in 1991, his tenure 1991 – 1993 should be regarded as a first term and the tenure 1999 – 2003 should have been regarded as second term. Accordingly, he should stand barred from contesting for another term in the 2003 election, as that would amount to a violation of the subsisting Constitution, which has provided that a person could only be elected into the office of a State Governor for two terms and no more.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“In that decision, the Court of Appeal upheld the eligibility of Governor Abubakar Audu of Kogi State, to stand for re-election as Governor, on the ground that his first tenure (1991-’93) was under a completely different Constitution (CFRN 1989), while the country was at the material time operating the 1999 Constitution, which was a new Constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“(v) Given the observation under (iv) above, adopting a new Constitution is therefore calculated to enable incumbent elective office holders who are statute-barred from going for 3rd Term at both Federal and State levels, to run for offices again under the guise of running under a new Constitution. This will also have the consequential effect of depriving aspiring politicians from all political parties, as well as all Nigerians, of their rights to choices and preferences as enshrined in the constitution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(vi) If not arrested, the 3rd Term agenda, as in the past (2005), is capable of plunging Nigeria into another circle of political chaos with potential of violence and anarchy.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We, as pan-Nigerians and democrats reject this agenda, in its entirety and call on stakeholders of all  persuasions and institutions especially political parties, national and state houses of assembly, the media, Civil Society Organizations, faith based organisation women, youths, etc., to reject same, and continue to champion and uphold democratic principles, as enshrined in the constitution and other legitimate sources of law-making .</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thank you, and God bless.”</span></div> <div class="OUTBRAIN" data-browser="safari" data-dynload="" data-ob-mark="true" data-os="ipad" data-src="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/contest-plunge-nigeria-violence-anarchy-northern-delegates-warn-jonathan-others/" id="outbrain_widget_0" obdone="true" style="border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="ob_brnBox_cont NA" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span class="ob_empty" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><wbr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></wbr></span><span class="ob_org_header" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; 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Contest and plunge Nigeria into violence, anarchy, Northern delegates warn Jonathan, others

By Henry Umoru ABUJA – NORTHERN delegates at the on- going National Conference have threatened that if President Goodluck Jonathan present...

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