The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Confab

  • Confab: Delegates queue for hours to enter venue

    Confab: Delegates queue for hours to enter venue

    Delegates to the ongoing National Conference on Monday in Abuja queued for about two hours before gaining entrance into the conference hall, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    Some of the delegates who commented on the development, expressed displeasure over the discomfort they were subjected to and urged the secretariat to intervene to prevent a reoccurrence.

    Some of the delegates, including Mr Issa Aremu, Mr Dan Iwuanyuanwu and Chief Femi Falana (SAN), drew the attention of the Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi (rtd), to the plight of the delegates.

    “Mr Chairman, what the delegates were subjected to this morning is a clear case of administrative lapse.

    “Many delegates queued for hours outside before they could gain entrance into this hall.

    “I think the secretariat should do something about it,” Aremu, Vice-President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said.

    Nwanyanwu, Chairman, Labour Party, complained that security operatives at the gate of the National Judicial Institute (NJI), venue of the conference, wasted time in screening their vehicles.

    “Some of us (delegates) got to the gate before 9.00 a.m. but could not leave there until after an hour.

    “I hope this should not continue to be the situation; the security agencies should start controlling traffic early enough,” he said.

    Falana complained that after spending 30 minutes at the gate, the delegates spent another two hours before gaining entrance into the hall.

    “We spent 15 minutes at the gate to register our cars, we spent another two hours queuing for papers and that is why many of the delegates are not here yet,” he said.

    Falana suggested that papers for the proceedings should be shared to delegates inside the hall at plenary rather than queuing for them outside.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was unanimous adoption of all the observations raised by the three delegates with a call on the secretariat to sit up.

    The Chairman acknowledged the complaints and promised that the issues raised would be looked into with a view to addressing them.

    The plenary which resumed at about 10.15 a.m. to debate the minutes of the inaugural meeting held on March 18, was adjourned shortly after the adoption of the minutes.

    Kutigi said it was necessary to adjourn the plenary for 10 minutes to allow the delegates, some of whom were still struggling to enter, to come in.

    The plenary later resumed at about 11.05 a.m.

    The plenary is expected to debate and adopt the procedures and rules to conduct the business of the confab.

  • Tentative confab

    Tentative confab

    Everything appears tentative about the ongoing  National Conference. Yet, the country is at a crossroads

    A side from the fact that its delegates number 492 and that it was inaugurated on March 17, nearly everything about the ongoing National Conference is tentative.

    For starters, it has no enabling legislation, for which a lobby is already in court. For another, nobody knows for sure if it would ever take any decision, since it is proposing a consensus option. Besides, even if it is able to take decisions, no one appears to know how those decisions would be implemented — by referendum? The president is not definitive on this: he said the decisions may be implemented by referendum. Why ‘may’? This leaves the matter hanging and susceptible to manipulations by the executive, depending on the confab’s outcome. Now, if done by referendum, what would be its effect on the next general elections? Is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ready for such a task?

    Or, would it be by submission to the National Assembly to cherry-pick according to its whims? And should the National Assembly decide to play the turf war, knowing the conference has no legal fundament, what happens?

    Add the notorious fact that the N7 billion bill, from which each delegate would take home no less than N12 million each. This suggests some form of subversive generosity that further enriches a few, further beggars the majority and sets up the beneficiaries to have little choice but to dance to the tune of their benefactor.

    Put more starkly, different people would appear to be taking different agenda to the conference. Though President Goodluck Jonathan claimed at the inauguration that he had no personal agenda by the conference, he could just tell that to the marines! No one needs any especial acuity to know that the president sorely needs the conference to shore up legitimacy for himself, to polish his chances in 2015, even after a parlous first term that should fairly earn him a democratic ouster.

    But aside from the president, many of the delegates were old hands who had actively contributed to Nigeria’s ruin. So, while some greenhorns would shout themselves hoarse on the imperative to remake Nigeria, these old hands would seriously work to maintain the status quo. The president would probably go with that, so long as it boosts his second term chances.

    More fundamentally, the imperative for a national conference is the notorious fact that Nigeria is orbited on virtual injustice, which delivers lollies to a few, but impoverishes the majority. Besides, there are the notorious geo-ethnic fault lines, which confer privilege without responsibility to whichever band in power. That band in turn delivers criminal cronyism to its acolyte and cells nationwide. This again, reinforces the ruinous socio-economic paradigm that enriches a few but beggars the majority.

    These are serious issues that have stalled Nigeria’s journey to nationhood; and may yet stall it for years if these serious anomalies stay uncorrected. Yet, delegates appeared to underscore their lack of appreciation of the dire situation by everyone appearing to tout his “Nigerianness”, as if a tiger, to use the famous Wole Soyinka quip, needs to proclaim its “tigeritude”! In the face of serious danger, one even appeared to crave for a state, where he could perhaps dominate and live happily ever after, even if such clannish thinking results in permanent damage to the polity!

    These perpetual “ifs” and “hows”, on the confab, ought to trouble any right-thinking Nigerian, since the country is at a terrible pass, with an urgent need to remake it for future survival. But it would appear where some see real danger ahead, others, particularly in the political establishment, see yet another opportunity to ingrain old ruinous way.

    Yet, it needs to be drummed into the hearing of every delegate that Nigeria faces clear and present danger, if it the country is not remade along productive federal lines, with a new national ethos of hard work, productivity, justice, equity and fair play.

    The delegates must know that though Nigeria is a geographical territory, its peoples — yes, peoples — have, at times often, radically different points of view and cultural outlooks. The challenge before this generation, therefore, is to work on an economic formula and socio-economic template that would morph these different peoples into a physically and spiritually united people, leveraging their supposedly different tongues and culture as potent economic tools. That is the whole gamut of arguments for regional federalism, from which platform every segment of the country would develop its own resources, and contribute its rich quota to a prosperous Nigeria.

    There is, so far, no consensus as to the way to go. The reason for this is simple: old habits die hard and old privileges, particularly when not earned, are very difficult to abandon. But it is on this hard and narrow road that lies the country’s salvation. Besides, the whole idea of a palaver is to knock together a consensus that would at least give the country a fresh start. The farcical beginning of the confab itself, with arguments about sitting arrangements and all that gives cause for concern.

    However, inasmuch as the president may have his agenda for the National Conference, it is the bounden duty of the conferees to be patriotic in their thinking; and to do the right but painful things that would save Nigeria from chaos and possible disintegration. But that would not be done by empty crowing about some non-existent Nigerian national ethos. If those ethos were there, ab initio, there would be no need for any National Conference.

  • Confab delegates may insist on payment of aides

    Confab delegates may insist on payment of aides

    It emerged on Friday that National Conference delegates are spoiling to insist that the Federal Government should pay their aides.

    This is coming as the 492 delegates prepare to commence plenary on Monday with the adoption of the conference rules of procedure.

    The rules which will guide the conduct of delegates throughout the duration of the talk shop were released to delegates on Thursday by the conference secretariat in Abuja.

    Findings by our correspondents showed that the delegates are insisting that apart from other logistics, the aides they brought to the conference should be paid some allowance.

    Our correspondents also discovered that a group of delegates have concluded arrangements to send a written request to the conference secretariat on the need to pay their aides some allowance.

    A member who spoke to our correspondents in confidence said that “the issue of paying our aides a little allowance cannot be swept under the carpet for obvious reasons”

    The delegate from Anambra State noted that “what we have come to Abuja to do is a serious business and should be seen as such.”

    He added, “We have come here for a serious business, whatever will assist us to do a thorough job should be accorded priority by the government. For most of us allowing us to hire one or two aides that will be paid by the conference secretariat will not be out of place.

    “We are meeting and talking about how to impress it on the conference secretariat to pay our aides. Our aides are as important as we are. We may have to put it in writing if need be.”

    He noted that there was no doubt that aides would assist delegates in the discharge of their duties at the conference.

    If the delegates succeed in pushing through payment of allowance for their aide, N7 billion the Federal Government was reported to have set aside for the conference may be increased.

    One of the delegates, Chief Mike Ezekhome, had underscored the fact that the conference involved a lot of brain work and research.

    Another delegate from Adamawa State also pointedly asked the conference leadership how many aides they were entitled to hire.

    The conference Secretary, Valerie Azinge, however told delegates that there was no provision for payment of personal assistants to the delegates.

    Funds provided by government, Azinge said, were specifically meant for delegates alone.

    It was obvious that Azinge’s dismissal of payment for aides of the delegates did not go down well with most delegates when the issue was broached at Tuesday’s meeting.

    Another delegate, Pastor Tunde Bakare, however admonished delegates on the need for sacrifice.

    For Bakare, delegate should be ready to make sacrifices for the good of the country.

    He enjoined them to be less concerned about monetary gains from the exercise, citing instances of wide condemnations that trailed the disclosure of National Assembly lawmakers’ take home package.

    According to him, most of the participants have had to complain about the allowances of Federal lawmakers,

    “We should be ready to make sacrifices during this assignment since we are quick to take our lawmakers to the cleaners over their allowances,” Bakare said.

    Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, another delegate observed that more members would be prevented from airing their views on issues they want to present if proper arrangements were not made to avail delegates ample opportunity.

    She said, “If we start with Mr. President’s speech, how and when do we present our individual mission statements.

    “I believe that most of us have our grievances that we want to present and most leaders here are part of the architects of where Nigeria is today.

    “I would want the conference to create time for every member to present their mission statement.”

    For Emir of Gunmi, Alhaji Nuhu Gunmi, the delegates should exercise restraint and be open to compromises on issues of national discourse.

    The monarch was aware that it would take a lot for members to shred their individual and regional differences in favour of national, patriotic interest.

    “Let us eschew bitterness and see one another as Nigerians,” the monarch said.

    Mahmud Ahmed had reservations with the venue of the conference and its suitability in terms of accommodation and offices, while Atedo Peterside was concerned about the internet link in the complex.

    The conference leadership said the venue remained the best option as the International Conference Centre, Abuja was not available.

    Another challenge for the delegates, it was discovered, is the issue of accommodation.

    Some of the delegates spoken to said that accommodation remained their major headache.

    The conference secretary was quoted to have said that ‘about three quarter of the delegates have so far been accredited for the conference”

    She noted that all the delegates have not been accredited because they had been coming in trickles.

  • Opponents of confab are enemies of Nigeria – Gulak

    Opponents of confab are enemies of Nigeria – Gulak

    The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, on Friday said any group that was still opposed to the National Conference was an enemy of the country.

    The special adviser stated this when Men and Women of Action Campaign Team (MWACT), an affiliate organisation to the Goodluck Support Group (GSG), visited him in Abuja.

    Gulak said that the conference was a deliberate strategy of the Federal Government and a symbol of its unrepentant stance on the sustenance of the unity of the country.

    He said that the Jonathan Administration would not be discouraged from implementing people-friendly policies, in spite of the criticism of the opposition political parties.

    “This administration is the biggest builder of infrastructure. It has taken bold steps to develop our economy.

    “The Jonathan regime will not be deterred from waging war against any element, persons or groups that want to divide us as a people,“ he said.

    Gulak said that those accusing the Federal Government of pursuing an ethnic agenda were ignorant and that such views were intended to cause disunity among people.

    “People should stop to make comments based on facts that were not founded, lies and conjectures,’’ Gulak said.

    Mr Solomon Akaya, the National Coordinator of MWACT, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the decision to commence the construction of the Second Niger Bridge had raised Jonathan’s popularity.

    “This government must confront the insurgency we are facing in the Northern part of our country head-on because that will translate to more votes in 2015,’’ he said.

    The Director of Policy and Strategy of MWACT, Mr Osa Asemota, said that the real threat to Nigeria’s growth were those who criticised the Federal Government negatively.

    He said that it was illogical for critics not to acknowledge the achievements of the Federal Government and that politics ought not to be a “do-or-die“ affair.

    “The main approach of the opposition has been to make President Goodluck Jonathan look unelectable through all manner of lies and machinations.

    “They also make Nigeria ungovernable by their tendencies,’’ Asemota said.

    Asemota urged the Federal Government to ignore calls for the removal of petroleum subsidy, saying that such a suggestion “is a Greek gift of a Trojan horse.”

  • Confab: Physically challenged want movement aids

    The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, a non-governmental organisation, on Thursday urged Federal Government to provide devices that would aid movement of delegates with physical challenges at the National Conference.

    The Executive Director of the centre, Mr David Anyaele, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Anyaele said that the government should provide lift and ramp and other devices that would enable the physically challenged to move freely at the conference.

    He said that without the facilities, such delegates might be marginalised as they might not be able to compete with able-bodied delegates in getting their opinions captured.

    “Delegates with disabilities at the conference are very small with little or no voice.’’

    He claimed that there had not been a legal framework to protect citizens with physical challenges against discrimination, neglect and harmful practices.

    “Sections 15 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution, even as amended, is silent on discrimination on the grounds of disability; this conference provides a platform to address this human rights abuse.

    “We demand a stop to all forms of discrimination and harmful practices against disabled persons.

    “We call on delegates from the civil society groups to take adequate steps to ensure the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities.

    “We also call on the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federal to take appropriate measures to create equal opportunities for all at the conference, “ he said.

    Anyaele urged the Senate to expedite action on the passage of the Nigerian Disability Bill to reduce discrimination, exclusion and isolation of Nigerians with physical challenges.

    He noted that the House of Representatives had passed the bill into law, and that the bill was awaiting passage by the Senate and harmonisation by the two chambers.

  • Confab: Court joins Kutigi, Akinyemi, Azinge in suit

    Confab: Court joins Kutigi, Akinyemi, Azinge in suit

    Justice Abdulkadir Abdulkafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja Tuesday included former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Idris Kutigi and two others as parties in a suit challenging the legitimacy of the National Conference inaugurated on Monday by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The judge’s decision was upon an application by rights activist, Tunji Abayomi.

    Abayomi, who filed the suit, sought the court’s permission Tuesday, to amend his processes to reflect the names of Kutigi (conference chairman), Professor Bolaji Akinyemi (Vice Chairman) and Mrs. Valerie Azinge (Secretary) as defendants in the suit on the ground that they were necessary parties.

    Defendants’ lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) who is also a participant at the conference, did not oppose Abayomi’s application.

    The judge subsequently included the three as defendants and ordered service of court documents on them. Their inclusion now brings to seven defendants in the suit.

    Others are President Jonathan, the Senate, its President, House of Representatives and its Speaker.

    Abayomi is by the suit, seeking to stop the national conference on the ground that the President lacked the powers to convoke or convene a national conference without a law from the National Assembly empowering him to do so.

    The activist, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/ 167/204 asked the court to determine whether a national conference can be convened by the President and/or government of Nigeria without a law made by the National Assembly enabling them to do so.

    In a supporting affidavit, Abayomi stated that the Federal Government has planned to spend billions of public money to fund the conference despite the absence of any law enabling the President to convoke the conference.

    He added that the Federal Government was bent on spending such amount despite the limited power invested in the President to use money to execute law.

     

  • Confab will find solution to Nigeria’s problems – Labour Party

    Confab will find solution to Nigeria’s problems – Labour Party

    The National Chairman, Labour Party (LP), Mr Dan Nwanyanwu has expressed confidence in the ability of National Conference to offer solutions to the various challenges confronting Nigeria.

    Nwanyanwu said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He said that his confidence was anchored on the calibre of the people selected for the conference saying that it was an indication of Federal Government’s commitment to national advancement.

    The LP boss also expressed delight over the number of political parties, including LP that heeded the call by the president to be part of the conference

    “The invited parties have embraced the conference, it does not matter if one party did not send its delegates,” he said.

    On the forthcoming governorship polls in Ekiti, slated for June 21, Nwanyanwu expressed optimism that his party would win the election.

    He said that his optimism was “because politicians from other major parities in the state are joining the LP as a better option.”

    The national chairman, however, urged INEC to ensure that the poll is not only hitch-free but also free, fair and transparent.

    He said by doing so, the commission would have restored the confidence of the electorate in the electoral process.

    “Many people expect INEC to have gone beyond its shortcomings in the Anambra governorship election, to better its performance in other elections.’’

    The chairman added that the Ekiti polls and subsequently Osun would enhance people’s trust in INEC to conduct the 2015 general elections.

  • NEMA deploys ambulances to conference venue

    NEMA deploys ambulances to conference venue

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Monday said it had deployed emergency ambulances to the venue of the National Conference in Abuja.

    Mallam Sani Datti, Senior Information Officer of the agency told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the National Contingency Plan for Nigeria (NCP) instituted by NEMA would attend to any emergency at the conference.

    He said the plan was drawn from stakeholders in disaster management.

    Datti listed the stakeholders to include the Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Red Cross Society, Federal Road Safety Commission, the police and other security agencies.

    According to Datti, the contingency plan was developed by NEMA to enable it to respond promptly and effectively to disasters.

    He said the plan was to enable NEMA to respond to disasters through a standard guideline for minimum response.

    He explained that the NCP was established with programme objectives, approaches and procedures to respond to situations that might occur.

  • Association urges TUC delegates address corruption at confab

    The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) at the weekend urged the Trade Union Congress (TUC) representatives to make corruption a subject of discourse at the National Conference.

    The Secretary-General of ASCSN, Mr Alade Lawal told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that once corruption was tackled, the country would be the better for it.

    “Majorly the TUC as a body has a blueprint which they are going to pursue there, in addition that we want them to harmer so much on this issue of corruption.

    “Because with the level of corruption in the country, nothing can move. So, no matter the kind of government we have in place and we still have this level of corrupt tendencies.

    “I must be very frank with you nothing will move, so we need to change our attitude in respect of the issue of corruption.

    “So we want corruption to be put in the front burner in the conference, so that let them come up with certain measures that will check this corrupt tendencies that we do have in the country now.

    “And we believe if we have that one, coupled with all other arrangement that will be put in place to re-arrange some of those things we have in the country now.

    “The country will be better for it and I want plead with our delegates from the TUC to push this item very strongly so that other delegates will also see the necessity of it.

    “And they can enshrine it into whatever blueprint that will be coming up to reshape the life of the Country.“

    Lawal expressed the hope that the 12 delegates selected to represent TUC at the conference would do so creditably.

    The national conference has been scheduled to run from March 17 to June 16.

    “We know they will represent us very well, they are made up of credible Nigerians; they have been in the struggle over the years.

  • National confab: Nominees’ to be accredited after inauguration

    Nominees to the National Conference would be accredited after their inauguration on Monday, the Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications, Mr. James Akpandem, has said.

    Akpandem told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday that the delegates would “report directly to the conference venue” on Monday for inauguration.

    He said that accreditation for the media would be done before the inauguration, adding that the secretariat would work till Sunday in preparation for the inauguration.

    Akpandem said that preparations were on top gear to ensure the success of the inauguration and proceedings during conference adding, “the secretariat is prepared for the inauguration”.

    He said that necessary facilities had been provided to make the delegates comfortable throughout the conference.

    NAN correspondents covering the conference, report that security personnel have been deployed to the National Judicial Institute (NJI), the venue of the conference ahead of the inauguration.

    Officials of the Police and the State Security Service (SSS) were sighted manning strategic locations at the venue.

    Some security heads had also visited the NJI to assess the security situation at the venue ahead of the inauguration on Monday.

    About 492 delegates are expected to attend the conference.