PRESS STATEMENT

 - National Conference Defer Debate on Voting Pattern

Consideration of the Rules of Procedure at the National Conference holding in Abuja ended on Tuesday with far-reaching decisions taken to ensure a smooth conduct of affairs both at the plenary and committee sessions of the Conference.

The Conference however closed for the day without adoption of the approved Rules of Procedure because members insisted on going through the clean copy of the approved issues before adoption.

In addition, the issue of how voting would be conducted on crucial issues based on committee reports attracted heated debates, and based on suggestions by members, had to be stood down for further deliberation.

It was suggested that the Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, GCON, invite leaders of the six geo-political zones for further consultation, deliberation and negotiation, and report back to the Conference.

As soon as further debates on the issue came up on Tuesday, those who said all issues should be resolved by consensus or at least 75% majority vote refused to accept resolution through individual votes, arguing that those who favoured two-third majority seem to be more in number.

Chief Edwin Clark cautioned that the position of both parties must not be allowed to stall proceedings at the conference and that to get out of the situation, delegates should vote on whether to accept three-quarter majority vote or two-third.

This position was rejected by Dr. Bello Mohammed from Kebbi State who insisted that every decision must be reached by consensus, arguing that the conference was not about majority or minority but was about the Nigerian state.

Former Commandant of the Presidential Air Fleet, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga said the argument was a straight tussle between those who wanted change and those who wanted retention of the status quo. He concluded that two-third majority vote remained the only solution.

Bashiru Albasu, a retired police officer cautioned delegates that, “if this issue is not handled carefully, it will break this Conference. I suggest that we refer this issue back to those who established this Conference.”

Matters came to a head when a delegate, Akin Arikawe, moved that further debate and decision on the issue be carried forward. The motion was adopted and passed.

In his contribution, both Fola Adeola from Ogun State and Atedo Peterside moved that the Conference Chairman meets with leaders of delegates from the six geo-political zones for further deliberation on the issue and report back to the Conference.

This position flowed from a contribution by Okon Osung (Akwa Ibom State) that, “we cannot discuss any other issue successfully except we are guided by our rules.” He was supported by Akin Oyebode from Ekiti State.

Tunde Bakare had earlier in his comments urged the delegates to ensure that “we do it right this time so that our report will not be kept in view.”

He was optimistic that every issue will be decided amicably no matter how controversial “because north and south, we see ourselves as one.”

Another issue raised by Chief Shola Ebiseeni on who the Conference should submit its final report to attracted extensive debate as members with diverse views rose to offer suggestions which were to form a section of the Rules of Procedure.

Ebiseeni who represents the grassroots had likened Nigeria to a patient requiring immediate attention and explained that the conference provides opportunity for “political surgeons” to diagnose the problems and apply surgical solutions.

He stated: “this Conference is not about constitutional amendment because if that were the case, we will only be repeating what the National Assembly is doing and that if need arose, the Conference can draft a new constitution for the country”.

Olaniwun Ajayi from the Southwest said the reasons for the Conference was very clear, “we are here to right all the wrongs of the past. If by any mistake, the decision of this Conference is submitted to the National Assembly, then we are back to square one.”

He went ahead to suggest that the report of the Conference should be submitted for a referendum: “we should amend the rules to state that our conclusions will be submitted to the people of this country for a referendum.”

At this point, the Conference Chairman, in an attempt to calm nerves, suggested that further debate on the issue be suspended until the end of the Conference since it was premature to decide who to submit a non-existing report to.

However, Joe Okei-Odumakin of the Civil Society Group insisted that the decision should be taken immediately. She supported the previous speakers that the outcome of the Conference be submitted for a referendum. She was supported by Dr. Joe Nwaogu from the Southeast.

Former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani made persuasive inputs when he reminded the Conference that delegates lacked required legal backing to take such a decision.

Nnamani referred to President Goodluck Jonathan’s speech at the inauguration of the Conference which urged the National Assembly to fast-track the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to create room and give legal backing to issues of referendum if required.

“At present, we do not have any legal backing to do it,” he emphasized to the attentive delegates, adding that Nigeria is governed by the rule of law that is anchored on the 1999 Constitution.

He said further, “we are not here to draft a new constitution. We can make suggestions towards constitutional amendment. Let us only do those things that we are capable of doing. We were not elected to this forum, we were appointed. This is not a Constituent Assembly.”

His position was supported by Robert Awudu who said that the job of the delegates would have been done when decisions are taken and the report submitted to the President.

Dr Magayi Danbatta in his contribution said as faulty as the process that brought it about could be, members of the National Assembly are elected representatives of the people.

“But we were not elected. We are not representing anybody. We were appointed by the President. Ours is to report back in a manner that is consistent with our mandate.”

Former Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’l said the powers of the delegates should begin and end with the Conference; “let us simply recommend to the President. We should stop where we are supposed to stop.”

In a brief contribution, Musa Elayo Abdullahi said though the conference could advise on what should be done, “this body was set up by the President; it has no place in law. At the end, we report to the President.”

A newspaper publisher, Nduka Obaigbena, reminded the delegates that any conference “is as good as its report and the ideas that come with it. Not every report of a conference of this kind goes to become a part of the constitution. Let us be guided by strong ideas because when we have strong ideas and acceptance of the people, no National Assembly can stop it.”

Thereafter, based on a motion by Bisi Adegbuyi, it was resolved that the provision in the Rules of Procedure touching on the final report be left to read: “Should the final report lead to the drafting of issues of law and policy, the Conference shall in consultation with the six principal officers of the Conference advise the government on the legal framework, legal procedures and options for integrating the decisions and outcomes of the National Conference into the constitution and laws of the country.”

Thereafter, Obaigbena demanded that a section of the rules that sought to take action against journalists covering the Conference on the basis of offensive reports should be expunged from the rules book.

He said it was impossible and unacceptable to “ask journalists to report or not report what we do not like.” His position was accepted and the provision was expunged.

At the beginning of the day’s deliberation, a delegate, Mahmud Aminu, had complained about a publication in a national newspaper showing pictures of delegates sleeping during the plenary session on Monday.

He was countered by Yinka Odumakin who said there should be no attempt to gag the media at the Conference, and that journalists should be allowed to report what they see responsibly.

Dan Nwayanwu of the Labour Party also kicked against attempt to stop journalists from doing their job adding, “We are here to do the nation’s business. If you have any reason to have a nap during plenary, the press will get you and they have a right to do their job.”

When a suggestion by Orok Duke from Cross River State that the proposed 22 Standing Committees were being overloaded with work and should be restructured, the Conference Deputy Chairman, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the Conference would not be able to adopt the suggestion because it was faced with shortage of Committee Rooms.

To avoid hanging on one issue for too long, Senator Adefemi Kila suggested that the Conference Chairman should guide the Conference to consider each clause one by one and that when an issue had been considered and passed, it must not be revisited under any guise.

Former Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Gambo Jimeta spoke against wasting time on issues which he said, “do not have direct bearing on the outcome of the Conference, and urged the chairman to apply “the doctrine of necessity to get us moving”.

Akpandem James,

Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications