Ethnic nationalities are holding mini-conferences to brainstorm on modalities for selecting delegates to the proposed national conference, it was learnt yesterday.
The groups and asociations, including the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), the Yoruba Council of Elders, the Yoruba General Assembly, and other interest groups are holding underground meetings on how to actualise their agenda at the conference.
The Federal Government has announced that the dialogue willhold this quarter, although the white paper on the Okurounmu Panel has not been released.
Critics have objected to the report of the Presidential Advisory Council on the National Conference because it ommited the popular clamour for a referendum to decide the fate of the conference report.
Also, a member of the panel, Chief Solomon Asemota (SAN) has claimed that he has forwarded a minority report to the President.
Sources said that the Federal Government may consider the demand for representation based on ethnic nationalities, although how to determine the number and suitability of the ethnic groups is a big challenge.
However, the ethnic groups have been meeting underground to package their response to the proposed dialogue in whatever form it may come.
The YCE Secretary-General, Chief Idowu Sofola (SAN), told reporters in Lagos that the group will deliberate on the preparation for the conference during its annual conference this month.
Sources said that other groups are thinking ahead and debating the type of representation for the conference from their ranks.
A chieftain of the Pro-National Conference Organisation (PRONACO), Mr. Wale Okunniyi, said that the quality of representation is important, if the goal of the conference is to produce a people’s conference.
He urged the President to jettison the plan to send the resolutions of the conference to the National Assembly.
Okunniyi told reporters in Lagos that the next constitution should evolve from the people, instead of the 1999 Constitution, which was foisted on the country by the military.
He said the group has embarked on a nationwide consultation, on how to fashion out a legitimate constitution at the proposed conference.
Okunniyi added: “PRONACO wants President Goodluck Jonathan to make the diverse ethnic nationalities in the country the core of the composition of the proposed National Conference as they are the original indigenous component units of Nigeria”.
