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Tag: National confab

  • National Confab: I have no personal agenda – Jonathan

    National Confab: I have no personal agenda – Jonathan

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday inaugurated the National Conference and said he had no personal agenda in convening the conference.

    NAN reported that Jonathan urged the participants to shun all primordial sentiments in their dealings to promote national interest and rapid development of the country.

    He said that the sole motivation for convening the conference was the patriotic desire for a better and greater nation.

    ‘‘We must not approach these issues with suspicion and antagonism.

    ‘‘Rather, we should be open-minded and work to achieve what is best for Nigeria.

    ‘‘Even though you come to the conference as nominees and representatives of different interest groups, I urge you all to make a more united, stronger, indivisible and prosperous Nigeria your preoccupation and reference point at this national gathering.

    ‘‘Whatever the pressures on you may be, I call upon you to put the best interest of Nigeria before all other sectional or group interests,’’ the president said.

    He called on the participants to come up with recommendations that would enhance the unity and stability of the country.

    According to him, Nigerians must see themselves as one unique people as the conference is meant to strengthen national unity and nation building for the general progress of the country.

    He thanked the National Assembly for introducing the provision for a referendum in the proposed amendment of the nation’s constitution.

    The president urged the National Assembly and the state legislatures to speed up the constitutional amendment process, especially with regard to the issue of the referendum.

    ‘‘Let me at this point thank the National Assembly for introducing the provision for a referendum in the proposed amendment of the constitution.

    ‘‘This should be relevant for this conference if at the end of the deliberations, the need for a referendum arises.

    ‘‘I, therefore, urge the National Assembly and the state houses of assembly to speed up the constitutional amendment process, especially with regard to the subject of referendum,’’ Jonathan said.

    He charged the participants to ensure the completion of their assignment before the commencement of the 2015 political activities.

    In his remark, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Anyim Pius Anyim, said all 492 nominated members of the conference had accepted their nomination.

    The Chairman of the Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi, thanked the president for the confidence he reposed in them and promised that they would discharge their duties diligently

     

  • National Confab: Jonathan meets Kutigi, others

    President Goodluck Jonathan Thursday met behind closed-doors with the principal officers of the planned national conference.

    Among those who were at the meeting in the Presidential Villa included the conference’s chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi; vice chairman, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi; and the secretary, Dr. Valerie Azinge.

    Also at the meeting was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.

    They did not speak with journalists on issues discussed at the end of the meeting.

    The President left Abuja for his home state, Bayelsa and expected to return to Abuja today.

  • Principal officers arrive Abuja for National conference

    Principal officers arrive Abuja for National conference

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, on Thursday in Abuja, received the principal officers of the proposed national conference.

    The principal officers are: Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi (rtd), Vice Chairman Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi and Secretary Dr Valerie Azinge.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the officers, who arrived the office of the SGF at about noon, were received by Anyim after which they had a closed-door meeting.

    One hour later, they were driven out of the SGF office complex in company of Anyim.

    NAN recalls that the Presidency had on Tuesday, announced the appointment of the three principal officers of the national conference.

    Anyim had, while announcing the conference leadership, said that he would receive the principal officers on Wednesday.

    “The appointees are to resume in Abuja on Wednesday, 5th March, 2014 and would be received on arrival by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” Anyim had said.

    The SGF had also said that the conference would be inaugurated on March 10.

    The national conference will be attended by 492 participants representing all strata of the society.

    Already, almost all those who are expected to nominate participants have forwarded their nominees to the Presidency ahead of inauguration on March 10

     

  • National confab: No position paper for Edo

    National confab: No position paper for Edo

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has rejected the position of the Edo Forum to be presented at the national conference, beginning on Monday.

    The position of the forum was presented by leaders of Edo Central at a meeting by the government to present the state’s stand to its six delegates.

    The issues canvassed by the Edo Forum include restructuring of the country into eight functional, autonomous and competitive regions with the Mid-West region as one; return to part-time parliamentary democracy; creation of state police; resource control by states; decentralisation of military hardware; and abolition of the Land Use Act, among others.

    The delegates are Prof Edy Erhagbe, Charles Edosomwan, Prof Sylvanus Oboh, Mike Ozekhome and Nosakhare Isekhure.

    Some speakers supported the stand of the forum but Oshiomhole said issues to be discussed were not mentioned by anybody.

    The governor noted that attitudinal issues could not be resolved through conferences.

    He said the solution to be prescribed must be such that would raise the quality of life of the people.

    On removal of the immunity clause, Oshiomhole said it would hinder progress and development, adding that the problem was not with the immunity clause but impunity.

    He said the country needs institutions stronger than individuals and a review of the revenue allocation.

    “Nigeria’s problems are excessive corruption leading to poverty and diversion of public funds leading to hunger.

    “Anything we are doing if it does not translate to more prosperity for the average person, it will just be something for the big people because many have no homes, even water is scarce.

    “We want eight regions. Do we abolish Edo State? If we celebrate balkanisation of the Midwest region based on arguments that government will be closer to the people, the same people canvassing a return to Midwest region will say they want to create another state.

    “No country has made progress by taking one step forward and six steps backwards.

    “Is it the presidential system that makes a Nigerian senator earn more than the American President ?

    “Is it in the system or in the habit? If the senator becomes a parliamentarian, will that habit change?

    “I think we should canvass for issues that would outlast this generation and improve this country.”

  • Igbo hold colloquium on national confab

    Igbo hold colloquium on national confab

    Ndigbo are preparing for the forthcoming National Conference. To this end, a pre-national conference colloquium on the Igbo Question in Nigeria is being put in place. The three-day event would hold between March 11 and March 14 in Enugu. The International Colloquium on The Igbo Question in Nigeria is conceived by a body of Igbo intelligentsia, clergy, elders and patriots in the light of the current socio-political situation in the Nigerian Federation and the debate over her future; and in the light of the enormous challenges facing the Igbo nation both in Nigeria and in the contemporary world.

    Given the absence of internal cohesion within the Igbo nation and the lack of national focus, the call for an International Colloquium to address the issues of the future and survival of the Igbo, according to the organisers, is considered both timely and urgent.

    The colloquium, sponsored by the Ime Obi of the umbrella of Pan-Igbo organisations, the Ohaneze Ndigbo will feature over 80 speakers who will examine various aspects of the Igbo nation. These include Chinweizu, Eddie Iroh, Prof. Mark Odu, Dr. Dozie Ikedife; Prof. Kalu Idika Kalu, Prof. Uma Eleazu, Chief Chekwas Okorie, Prof. Uzodinma Nwala and Prof. Elo Amucheazi.

    Also to speak include Prof. Amaechi Onyia, Chief Ralph Obioha, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Prof. Dennis Odionyefe Balogu, Prof. Barth Nnaji, Prof. Onyi Nwagbara, Prof. Vin Anigbogu and Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie.

    Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Prof. Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche, Prof. Chinweyite Ajike, Prof. Martin Aghaji, Prof. Ebere Onwudiwe, Prof. Ngozi Ugo and many others will also deliver papers.

    The colloquium will be co-chaired by the Obi of Ogwashiukwu, Agu Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo and former President of Ohaneze Ndigbo; Dr. Dozie Ikedife while former Vice-Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof. Michael Echeruo will be the keynote speaker.

    Chairman of the Colloquium Committee, Prof. T. Uzodinma Nwala has unfolded the idea behind the colloquium which will also hold at a later date in the United States.

    Nwala said: “The Igbo nation is one of the three largest ethnic nationalities that make up the Federal Republic of Nigeria which was created by the British Colonial Administration in 1914. The Igbo nation has an estimated population of about 150 million people worldwide. Her citizens are highly cosmopolitan and are found in every nook and cranny of the world. Outside Igbo land and within the Nigerian Federation, the Igbo are second in population after the native population in other parts of Nigeria. They occupy all of the Southeast, most of the South-south and occupy a significant part of the Middle Belt region.

    Nwala stated that Ndigbo are basically democratic and egalitarian in their socio-cultural worldview; with a highly intellectual, religious, industrious and entrepreneurial spirit. There is more Igbo investment in the rest of Nigeria than inside Igbo land. They are among the few, if not the only African society, that worshipped the Supreme God before the coming of Christianity. At the present, she has over 90 per cent Christian population.

    Igbo citizens, Nwala said, were in the forefront of African nationalism and led the struggle for Nigeria’s independence. She has produced world-renowned citizens in various fields of human endeavour. Some of these include Olaudah Equiano, the great ex-slave writer; Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, historically regarded as the doyen of African nationalism; Chinua Achebe, the author of the epic novel, Things Fall Apart, the father of African literature and one of the greatest writers in the contemporary world; Philip Emeagwali, the world-acclaimed father of the internet; Sir Akanu Ibiam, the one-time President of the World Council of Churches and Cardinal Arinze, one of the leading Catholic Cardinals in contemporary times.

    The federation which resulted from the British amalgamation in 1914 produced a highly crisis and corruption-ridden country, endemic absence of basic human rights, with the Igbo being the major victims in the series of political, religious and ethnic riots that have bedevilled the Nigerian Federation since its formation.

    According to Nwala, the high point of the instability of the Nigerian Federation came in the wake of the military coup of 1966 and the series of massacre of civilians and military officers of Eastern Nigeria extraction and particularly Igbo origins in different parts of Nigeria. The initial coup was staged by young army officers with the aim of installing Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a Yoruba chieftain, as Prime Minister of Nigeria.

    What followed after the failure of that coup was one of the worst cases of holocaust in human history. Finding themselves unsafe in other parts of Nigeria, the Igbo returned to their territory to build a home of their own only to face further annihilation/holocaust during the Nigeria civil war which lasted between 1967 and 1970.

    He said the Nigerian civil war claimed over three million Igbo lives in an unprecedented genocide in human history; the destruction of enormous material resources belonging to the Igbo in different parts of Nigeria, great devastation of Igbo land and the rest of the former Eastern Nigeria. Apart from the genocide experience, there was deliberate dismembering of the Igbo territory, with the core sector of Igbo land land-locked and made economically prostrate.

    Nwalal posited: “There is an obvious conspiracy among the leaders of the other major ethnic groups in Nigeria to continue to repress and hold down the Igbo and keep them politically irrelevant in the affairs of the Nigerian State. At the same time antagonise them with their kith and kin as well as neighbours in other parts of Nigeria.

    “There has been problem of Igbo integration in Nigeria particularly since the end of the civil war. With the emergence of Islamic insurgencies in Nigeria and the campaign to Islamise Nigeria, the Igbo have been the major victims in the Boko Haram attacks on churches, markets, motor parks and other public institutions.

    “The economic deprivations of Igbo citizens and region have given rise to kidnappings and other social vices which compound the economic and social problems in the region.

    “What is referred to as The Igbo Question in Nigeria is about the cumulative horrendous experiences of the Igbo nation and the present second-class status of her membership of the Nigerian Federation since the amalgamation of 1914. “The Igbo nation incurred the wrath of the British colonial authorities because her citizens led the struggle for the emancipation of Nigeria from colonial rule. As further punishment of her citizens for their role in the anti-colonial struggle, the British made sure that the Igbo were crippled politically and incited the other nationalities against them.”

  • Yuguda blasts ACF, Afenifere, Ohanaeze

    Yuguda blasts ACF, Afenifere, Ohanaeze

    . . . Alleges divisive comments by groups on confab, 2015 poll

    Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, has taken a swipe at the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other ethnic nationality groups in the country for what he described as their divisive tendencies.

    Yuguda accused the regional socio-cultural cum political interest groups of fanning the embers of disunity among the Nigerian people with their inflammatory statements about the polity and the nation’s leaders.

    The governor is particular miffed by the apparently combative posture of the groups on the upcoming National Conference and their parochial views on the Presidency in the run up to the 2015 general elections.

    Speaking with reporters in Bauchi at the weekend, Governor Yuguda cautioned the groups against setting the stage for political violence that could arise from their unguarded utterances.

    He said, “Some of these people who are old men of about 90 years appear to have lost focus. They are busy abusing one another and abusing leaders from different sections of the country.

    “Most of them were privileged individuals during their prime, but they have now turned around sowing divisions among the various groups in the country. It is high time they stopped instigating the peace loving people of the country against one another.”

    The governor called on the youth population to shun the divisive tendencies of the groups and challenged them to work towards bridging the gaping developmental gap in all facets of the economy.

    The youths, he said, must strive hard to harness the nation’s abundant human and material resources and to forge unity among the diverse groups for the progress of the country.

    Yuguda blamed what he termed the mercantile approach to power by some members of the political class, saying their actions were responsible for some of the woes besetting the country.

    According to him, “these politicians are busy competing for power just for the oil money. They see politics as an enterprise, with the sole purpose of making profit.

    “Instead of focusing on how best to serve their people and develop the economy, they see political power as a means of making money for their children, their grandchildren and their generation unborn.

    “It is high time they changed their perception if we want our country to grow and the media have a vital role to play in this self discovery campaign.”

     

  • National Confab: 5 key must have

    National Confab: 5 key must have

    Beyond all the canvassed criteria for attending the national dialogue, whether ethnic, professional or vocational, the process of election/selection must take incorporate 5 key considerations

    (1) That since it is not an intra-cultural dialogue, but a dialogue across cultures, only those with sufficient cross-cultural experiences should be brought together and not rustics who know no more than their backyard with the associated unyielding attitude to life as was the case in pre-independence conferences are qualified for the national conference.  So we canvass living, schooling, working, national service and being geographically well-spread across Nigeria as sufficient proofs of sociological experience of Nigeria beyond tribal enclaves.

    (2) Possession of bilingual capacity in understanding or ability to speak minimum of two Nigerian languages as proof that representatives can hold a cross-cultural dialogue as part of the necessary qualifications for representation.

    (3 ) No group should be allowed to come to the national dialogue with the knowledge of their own needs and demands alone. They must be made to also come with and first present the historical needs and demands of their close and distant Nigerian neighbours and fellow citizens to make them wear the shoes of the others in order to feel their feelings.

    (4) The virtue of fellow-feeling with polite conversation should be considered and made to characterise the national dialogue where grounds should be graciously yielded where obvious, not the rigid and stubborn and ill-intentioned conspiratorial ways of the pre-independence ethnic fathers of the nation’s constitutional conferences characterized by an overdose of inconsideration and self-centred triumphalism.

    (5) Maturity of temper must also be a balancing scale for representation at the national conference. Required are those who know how to check that first and quick flush of impetuous emotion with controlled refinement; an ability which many Nigerian rascals and radicals of all types are totally empty of. We need those who have this in-built device in them to regulate the speed of response between a hot-head and an explosive tongue.

    These five cardinals are our deeply considered recommendations to all panels, committees, voting and selecting ethnic, professional and vocational groups primed for the national dialogue.

  • Kwankwaso picks three for National confab

    Kano State Governor, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, has approved the nomination of the three delegates that will represent the state in the National Conference.

    A statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Halilu Dantiye, said the delegates are – a former Secretary to the Kano state government, Malam Sule Yahya Hamma; former member of the House of Representatives and public affairs commentator, Dr. Junaidu Mohammed and former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Aishatu Isma’il.

    The governor expressed confidence that the delegates will give Kano good representation at the confab.

     

  • How National Confab can succeed, by Ekpenyong

    How National Confab can succeed, by Ekpenyong

    Dr. Chris Ekpenyong, an engineer, is a former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State and General Secretary of the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria. He shares his thoughts below on the upcoming National Conference.

    Litany of dialogues

    For as long as close to the years of Nigeria’s existence as a nation, the people have always talked-whether on a table or at a rally. Talking defined the nation which got its independence in 1960 after the talks in London and elsewhere. Talking sewed back the fabrics of the country when it tore into two pieces during the civil war years. Talking made the country jettison the parliamentary system for the presidential system with its benefits of greater participation of the majority of citizens in governance, through a concept called democracy. Talking held the country together when the annulled June 12, 1993 election wanted to tear the country apart. Talking provided the healing balm needed to move on after General Abacha’s dragonian rule. Talking brought about a doctrine of necessity which created a seemingly peaceful transition from a cabal that thought power belonged to man and handed it over to another humble, simple and patriotic Nigerian who, like his successor, is an epitome of tolerance, a basic requirement for talks.

     

    Benefits of dialogue

    I firmly believe in talking. Talking solves problems. Talking promotes peace. Talking promotes unity. Talking pours venom on bigotry and bitterness. Talking puts an end to violence, hatred and evil. For a nation to grow positively, enjoy sustainable development and have great patriots and nationalists as citizens, it must never get to a point where it cannot talk.

    I, therefore, believe firmly and strongly, in the national conference that is on the way, courtesy of Mr. president’s resolve to preside over a country that will not bow to external prophesies of a possible breakup this year. I do not know of any other reason that could propel Mr. President to agree to hold a confab except for this purpose. The proponents of a sovereign national conference which consideration by Mr. President gave birth to the non-sovereign kind of confab that is about to hold, want structural changes. Which area do they want change? Sharing of resources through an “equitable” method-however they would come up with a formula for that still beats me. They also want true federalism whose foundation is still built upon the concept of resource control; Devolution of power from the centre, to make the units (state) and maybe, regions (if it’s agreed upon at the talk) self- sufficient and powerful, possibly to ensure that states or regions have state police and state central banks.

    A fair chance of success

    From the modality for the confab; to the proposed list of those to attend; to the subjects to be talked about, the confab may not wholly be a success though I still believe a thing or two will come out there from.

    In truth, the chances of the confab achieving much are less than the long term survival prospects of a plastic rubber in hell fire. This is partly because the basis for a talk about today’s talk came out from the fact that previous talks failed. Why did they? Earlier talks did not look at the reality of the situation of the nation. All the talks were about power- sharing of; holding of and benefiting from. Nobody is thinking of the reality on the ground. The reality about life in the country. The reality that we do not have a good country where rules and laws are obeyed; where citizen’s rights and privileges are respected ;and where leaders are transparent and acceptable to the people.

    Draw back

    The great drawback for the envisaged confab, therefore, lies in the fact that the confab may discuss everything but the restructuring of the living condition of ordinary citizens and the expectations from the people about the leadership.

    What will help Nigeria and Confab succeed

    Three closely related problems confront this and could lead to a better nation if the confab will ever consider them which I don’t think it will.

    The first and biggest of them is the quality of leadership in all areas. What kind of leaders do we have? The only qualification for leadership remains learning- those who can read and write and posses the basic minimum-m educational qualification to seek offices. Character is never well considered. All shades of character with a connection to a good power grid is (s)elected or appointed to office. Take for instance, the Local Governments.

    Who are the local government chairmen? People who do not have connections to the people they are supposed to govern. Most of them do not link up with the people. Most of them do not know the number of schools, teachers and registered pupils in their areas. Most of them do not have any desire to improve the condition of their people. The resulting effect is that nothing works at that level of governance. The state governments are not equally helping matters. How will the confab help to make state governments accountable to the people? How will the confab help the country come up with a balance of power that will make governors to behave not like monarchs but as elected officials who are holding power in trust for the people? How is the confab going to make the legislature and the judiciary to be truly independent arms of government?

    The second problem is the crippling rise in the number of unemployed citizens of the country. Over 80 percent of our young ones are not employed in any productive venture; jobless; without skills and are easily dragged into unproductive negative anti-social act like crime. The militancy and Boko Haram surge came out of the neglect of these young ones by previous governments. What is the present leadership doing about this? What will the confab bring out concerning them? A country that gets it right with its young people will certainly have a nation devoid of crime and its offspring’s- kidnapping, robbery, pipeline vandalism, violence, assassination, disrespect for elders, greed, corruption et all. Turning a blind eye to criminal activities by young people is one of the better ways of hobbling the economy and also ensuring that unemployment rises.

    The third area is the aspect of reforms- economic and otherwise. There have been several interventions of late. The Sure – P. The revitalised and seemingly working Bank of Industry. The revitalisation of the agriculture sector. The power sector. Several. How does the confab talk about making these interventions not to be paper tigers. I am a farmer. A large scale one at that. I haven’t reaped from the programmes of the obviously performing smooth taking Minister of Agriculture. How many farmers of my hue have benefited from these programmes? How will the confab help us. How will the confab also design safety nets for inevitable loses from most of these reforms?

    If these little issues are not talked about before the confab, they may snaffle the gains to be made at the confab. The confab is a slim hope- possibly the only one chance to restructure our conditions and this can work only when the right things are done before and after it.

     

  • National confab: North to take common position on issues- Aliyu

    Baring any last minute change the 19 states of Northern Nigeria are set to present a common position at the forth coming National Conference, Chairman of Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and Niger State governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has disclosed.

    He said the governors from the region last Monday at its meeting in Kaduna resolved  to take a common position on issues to be raised at the National conference  slated for next month.

    Aliyu who made this disclosure Wednesday  at an interactive session on National Conference with major stakeholders from his state in Minna said that the northern governors also decided to send their best to the Conference.

    According to him, “At our last meeting in Kaduna, we took some positions as northern governors and as states. We have some paramount issues that we want to stand on and we will present it during the National Conference.

    “We also resolved to send in our best to the conference with lots of experience to discuss without fear or favor at the conference and the state delegates will be briefed from time to time in the course of the conference which would start next month”, Aliyu said.

    He argued that the decision of the governors would strengthen the unity and development of the nation.

    The governor saddled the stakeholders with the responsibility of determining the three delegates that will represent the state at the Conference, “We have to send our most intelligent and brilliant delegates. Two men and one woman who will not be afraid to defend the state and the North.”

    He then gave some of the issues to be discussed by the stakeholders which include the structure of government in Nigeria, creation of the office of the Controller of the Federation Account as against the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, State Police, devolution of power, residency and indigenization, onshore and offshore dichotomy, resource control amongst others.

    Aliyu used the meeting to intimate stakeholders of the decision of the state government to institute a State Commonwealth Fund, a prototype of the National Sovereign Fund with a view to preventing the state from going under by making a mandatory monthly saving no matter the state of the nation’s economy.

    “A committee have been set up to look at issues and come up  with decisions on how to make sure that Niger state does not find itself in financial straitjacket.”

    Journalists were excused as the  stakeholders went into a closed door session as Governor Aliyu promised that the newsmen would be briefed after the meeting.