Jonathan okays national confab *Concludes consultations, SNC to take off next year
Written by Taiwo Adisa, Abuja
Sunday, September 30, 2012
PRELIMINARY consultations scheduled to lead to the convocation of a National Conference were said to have been wrapped up in the outgone week, as President Goodluck Jonathan was said to have given the green light on the planned confab. Investigations by Sunday Tribune revealed that President Jonathan had personally led some of the secret consultations with leaders of ethnic nationalities. Only a few of the consultations were held in the open, as it emerged that the president had also constituted a team that would midwife the conference.
A source said on Saturday that contrary to reports in a section of the media, the presidency was actually spearheading talks with some leaders of ethnic nationalities for the purpose of identifying the need for the much talked about national conference. According to findings, the conference is scheduled to start early next year, while the steering committee is now fine-tuning the modalities for the planned confab. Besides a number of consultations that took place in Abuja, it was gathered that a number of top presidency hands were deployed in Lagos, Kano, Kaduna as well as the South-East and South-South states to directly hold talks with leaders of many of the ethnic nationalities. Through the series of consultations, it was learnt that the consensus of opinion is that the country should provide a platform for the hitherto silent majority to ventilate their views on how to enhance Nigeria's unity and also ensure peaceful co-existence.
A source close to the arrangement said that the president had concluded on the need to ensure that Nigerians ventilate their views within the democratic space while the fears of various ethnic groups were also addressed. It was learnt that while the issues to be discussed at the confab would be moderated towards enhancing national unity, the government was willing to hear Nigerians out. Said a source in the know: "A lot has been said about the need for national conference or even the Sovereign National Conference and the president, being a listening leader, has actually consulted with many leaders from across this country. "There came the feeling that some Nigerians think the National Assembly may not really ventilate their views on devolution of powers, federalism and derivation, and that such issues are better thrashed out at the level of a national confab where people can truly agree on what they see as fundamentals." It was also learnt that the outcome of the planned confab would be handed over to the National Assembly, which would then prepare some bills in line with some agreed issues. A source said that the confab may last for only six months. In case the national confab could not complete its assignment before the completion of the ongoing constitution amendment exercise, a source said that the government would prepare separate bills for legislative action by the National Assembly.
SOURCES: http://www.tribune.com.ng/sun/front-page-articles/8677-jonathan-okays-national-confab-concludes-consultations-snc-to-take-off-next-year; http://odili.net/news/source/2012/sep/30/625.html
I have two hopes. First, that GEJ unequivocally delivers on this and not renege on it. Secondly, that Nigerians adequately grab this unique opportunity for the sake of posterity.
