Day 58: My National Conference Exploits (Devolution of Power)

Monday 14th July 2014 

Conference resumed sitting at 09:18m, presided over by the chairman. 

Votes and processings of the previous day was read, amended and adopted as amended.

The deputy chairman called on a delegate Mr. John Dara who had sent a note to speak, to name the two states proposed for creation from the southwest and south-south  (remember I told you that 2 of the states out of the 18 ridiculous states proposed to be created were not named?). Check day 53 of my exploits if you haven't read it already. Dara mentioned that one for the south south will be called Oil River state and that of the South West - Ode state.

I informed you that the chairman called for a meeting of the 50 wise men, chairpersons, co-chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of committees on yesterday's post,  right? The Chairman on Thursday called the meeting due to the lack of consensus on the matter as the special committee that assigned itself to find a solution could not come up with one. So the Chairman called on the wise men and chairpersons who had, in the past found wise solutions to both our unwise and wise problems. The meeting was scheduled for Friday but due to a lack of quorum, the meeting did not hold.

So on Monday - 14th July 2014, the Chairman of the conference announced that he will meet with the Wise men and the chairpersons and deputy chairpersons and co chairpersons today.

The conference took a short break while the meeting went on.

As a deputy chairperson of one of the committees, I was part of the meeting and I would say it was an eye opener; oh my days! 

We had a long and heated debate over the matter. Some even lied over issues; grown men lie too? That shouldn't be strange, should it? 

Some however made brilliant recommendations, they earned my respect.

Anyway the meeting actually came up with the following resolution: 

Having critically examined the issues in contention, Conference recognizes the need to:

a)    Review the percentage of revenue to states producing oil (and other resources)

b)   Reconstruct and rehabilitate areas affected by crisis of insurgency and internal conflicts; and

c)    Diversify the Nigerian economy by fast tracking the development of the solid minerals sector;

The Conference also noted that assigning percentages for the increase in derivation principle, and setting up Special Intervention Funds to address issues of reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas ravaged by insurgency and internal conflicts as well as Solid Minerals development, require some technical details and considerations.

Conference therefore recommends that Government should set up a Technical Committee to determine the appropriate percentages on the three issues and advise government accordingly.

The report of the Committee on Devolution of Power, after adopting the above recommendations which substituted all recommendations relating to Revenue Sharing, Derivation Principle, Solid Minerals Development Fund and the proposed National Intervention Fund, was adopted as amended.

The chairman then announced that following the adoption of the last Report of the conference, plenary would be adjourned till 4th August 2014 when delegates would resume for the consideration of the Draft Report of the conference. 

We then adjourned at 3:09pm to resume on Monday 4th August 2014 at 9am. 

Eventually Though, the date of resumption  was extended till 11th August 2014.

See you then...

On Twitter: @Yadomah...

Day 57: My National Conference Exploits (Devolution of Power)

Thursday 10th  July 2014 

Conference resumed sitting at 09:20am.

Votes and processing of the previous day were read, amended and adopted as amended.

Motion of Urgent National Importance:

A delegate moved a motion, drawing the attention of the conference to the death of Barr. Bamidele Aturu, a Human Right activist. He urged the conference to observe a minute's silence in honour of the deceased and also commiserate with his family.

The Chairman ruled against the former prayer as the deceased was not a delegate to the conference, but approved the latter prayer to send a letter of condolence to the family of the deceased.

Another delegate also informed the conference that Delegate Dr Abdu Bulama has been sworn in as a Minister of the  Federal Republic of Nigeria. He urged the conference to congratulate the newly sworn in minster. The Chairman ruled that conference will congratulate the delegate when official communication is received by conference.

The Deputy Chairman informed the conference that the members of the group finding reconciliation over the matter of derivation are yet to iron out the grey areas of the report read by Professor Gambari Yesterday - You can find the detail of the report on my last post. Conference then gave the consensus group an hour to go and iron out and reconcile the grey areas while the conference adjourned temporally at 10:30 to resume at 11:30.

However, a debate was opened on the floor of the house on the issue.

Some said they are unaware of the existence of 

any group  like the special committee, because it is not one of the standing committees of the conference; it is rather a  self-appointed committee and will not represent the views of the larger house. 

Others said the Conference had agreed from the onset that only the recommendations of the Standing Committees would be thrown up for approval or rejection. Anything other than that is not going to be acceptable to most.

Another said since the leadership have already made provision for ballot boxes "we will not on this matter agree to a voice vote". We must vote! 

The chairman of the conference rebuked all the agitations and explained that, this is not the first time such groups would be intervening in contentious matters.

So we took the hour break while we waited for the  consensus group to come up with their report. 

On resumption at 11:30, the Consensus Group was yet to come up with any resolution on the issue of derivation, so the conference resolved to adopt proposed amendments and additional recommendations  to the report of the Committee on Devolution of Powers, leaving out those amendments bordering on Derivation Principle and Revenue Sharing Formula until the Consensus Group come with their report.

Some of the recommendations made by the committee and additional recommendations adopted included:

- Granting public holidays should be moved from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List. This would give states the latitude to declare holidays reflective of the values of their own people.

- Management of prison services be retained in the Exclusive Legislative List as specified in the 1999 Constitution. The same was done to fishing and fisheries other than those in rivers, lakes, waterways, ponds and other inland waters within Nigeria.

- Insurance, stamp duties and formation, annulment and dissolution of marriages other than marriages under Islamic Law and Customary Law including matrimonial causes were also retained in the Exclusive legislative list.

Moved from Concurrent to the Exclusive Legislative List included:

- The first item on the Concurrent Legislative List which deals with allocation of revenue and division of public revenue between states and federation, between states and states and between states and local governments.

-The merger of Items 6, 15, and 24 which all relate to banks, banking, exchange control, bills of exchange, currency, coinage, legal tender and promissory notes, was also approved and adopted for placement in the Exclusive Legislative List.

- Taxation of income, profits and capital gains; trade and commerce were left in the Exclusive legislative list while other aspects of Trade and Commerce particularly, registration of business was moved to the Concurrent List.

- The Committee also recommended that regulations of political parties be retained in the Exclusive Legislative List as specified in the 1999 Constitution as amended. Pensions, gratuities and other-like benefits payable out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public funds of the federation are to be split between the Exclusive and Concurrent Legislative Lists.

- Retirees previously employed by the Federal Government are entitled to payment of their benefits by the Federal Government while state governments shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the pension matters of their own employees and retirees.

- Retention of Traffic on Federal Trunk roads in the Exclusive Legislative List as specified in the 1999 constitution.

- Granting public holidays should be moved from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List. This would give states the latitude to declare holidays reflective of the values of their own people.

- Management of prison services be retained in the Exclusive Legislative List as specified in the 1999 Constitution. The same was done to fishing and fisheries other than those in rivers, lakes, waterways, ponds and other inland waters within Nigeria.

- Insurance, stamp duties and formation, annulment and dissolution of marriages other than marriages under Islamic Law and Customary Law including matrimonial causes were also retained in the Exclusive legislative list.

Moved from Concurrent to the Exclusive Legislative List are:

- The first item on the Concurrent Legislative List which deals with allocation of revenue and division of public revenue between states and federation, between states and states and between states and local governments.

-The merger of Items 6, 15, and 24 which all relate to banks, banking, exchange control, bills of exchange, currency, coinage, legal tender and promissory notes, was also approved and adopted for placement in the Exclusive Legislative List.

- Taxation of income, profits and capital gains; trade and commerce was left in the Exclusive legislative list while other aspects of Trade and Commerce particularly, registration of business was moved to the Concurrent List.

- The Committee also recommended that regulations of political parties be retained in the Exclusive Legislative List as specified in the 1999 Constitution as amended. Pensions, gratuities and other-like benefits payable out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public funds of the federation are to be split between the Exclusive and Concurrent Legislative Lists.

- Retirees previously employed by the Federal Government are entitled to payment of their benefits by the Federal Government while state governments shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the pension matters of their own employees and retirees.

- Retention of Traffic on Federal Trunk Roads in the Exclusive Legislative List as specified in the 1999 constitution.

Well finally members of the special committee comprising of leaders of the six geopolitical zones appeared and  a members of the special committee, Chief Raymond Dokpesi brought the report of the special committee to the Deputy Chairman of the conferene. 

A memeber of the special committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie, immediately stood up and informed the chairman that he was involved in the discussions of the committee and up to this evening they have not reached an agreement and therefore "any report submitted to you is null and void,” he announced.

Chief Olu Falae stood up to read the report submitted to the management by Chief Raymond Dokpesi which was termed null and void by Alhaji Commasie amidst boos and shouts by a number  of delegates who do not even want to listen to the report.

Falae said the committee came with the following resolution: 

- Principle of derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than 18% of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any natural resources.

- Not less than 50% of the total derivation fund accruable to a mineral bearing state shall be due and payable to the host communities within the state where the resources are derived in accordance with the production quota contributed by such communities.

- There shall be established a Solid Mineral Development Fund which is currently 3% but which would be increased to 5% of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account.

- A National Intervention Fund which would be 5% of annual revenue accruing to the account of the Federal Government for the stabilization, rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas affected by terrorism and insurgency, starting with the North east, and then any other part of the country affected.

Faced with obvious rowdiness from a cross-section of the delegates who variously disagreed with the presentations by both Coomasie and Falae; and applause from another section that seemed to also variously agree with the two presentations. 

Since obviously the special committee was unable to come up with an agreeable resolution the chairman, after a brief consultation with the principal officers, announced that the leadership of the Conference would meet with selected delegates referred to as the 50 Wise Men, co- chairmen, chairmen and deputy chairmen of the twenty committees of the conference at 11 am on Friday, 11th July 2014 for further consultation on the matter relating to Revenue Allocation which was deferred till Monday. 

We adjourned early that day at 2:15 pm, to resume on Monday 14th July 2014 at 9:00am. 

On Twitter: @Yadomah 

Day 56: My National Conference Exploits (Devolution of Power)

Wednesday, 9th July 2014.....

Conference resumed sitting at 9:24 am after saying the national prayer.

Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted as amended.

The early hours of the day was devoted for discussing the modalities for implementation of conference report. Most delegates were of the opinion that the report of the conference should be categorized into three; 

- The policy issues - which need immediate implementation,

- The legislative and 

- Constitutional. 

Some suggested the need for a referendum, others argued that the constitution does not recognize a referendum. 

Some delegates and I suggested the need for uploading the report of the conference online so Nigerians could have access to the report of the conference online. 

After the recommendation was made by a delegate another said; what's the point uploading it on internet - Internet people will cut it and misquote it.

Someone even went as far as saying are we worshiping the internet? Why must we put it online? 

When I stood up to make my speech I reaffirmed the need for uploading the reports of the conference on the internet.

Also I told them no recommendation is more equal than the other but some recommendations are more equal than the other especially that of - National Security.

They should make it top on the priority of implementation.

Finally on that day, conference took decision on the Land Use Act - I was a member of the special committee that was tasked with the mandate of coming up with a consensus that will be approved and accepted by the majority.

It was a month of side meeting and negotiation and getting resource persons to discuss on the issue. 

Finally we brought these findings and resolution to the floor and the house accepted it.

Most of the resource persons we invited even those that want the act  removed from the constitution don't want it removed completely.

While does that from the onset don't want act removed argued that;

 

Allowing the Act to go would give chance for oligarchs to take over lands which the Land Use Act has democratized with the government as the intervening body. Since land is not a renewable commodity, it must not be left at the mercy of land speculators; and that removing it from the constitution would be discriminatory and unjust to the poor.

 

Removing the Act from the constitution again they argued would  create dichotomy; describing the suggestion as a grand design for the rich to buy land at cheap prices, a situation that would lead to crisis that cannot be managed.

The resource person that argued for its removal however argued that. 

 

The Land Use Act should remain a law but must be removed from the constitution to make it easy for amendment.

 

They argued that at present, amending the Act through the constitution has become too cumbersome. 

 

They complained that government have taken peoples land and have refused to pay compensation; and that since the promulgation of the Act, access to land has remained a major problem, thus hindering economic development.

 

They also stated that the power of compulsory acquisition vested on state governors has been, in most cases, used arbitrarily without the payment of adequate compensation to land owners.

 

The committee noted that both sides of the argument were convincing; but those that want it removed actually don't want it removed completely. And their main argument was the issue of amendment, and those that don't want it removed however have no objection to amendment of the act. If the act is not removed completely from the constitution then it will still be cumbersome to amend, so we decided to suggest some amendments to the act, to take care of the difficulties it pose. That made the committee come up with the following amendments. Which was adopted by the conference; 

The Act would be retained in the constitution while certain amendments would be carried out in certain sections of the Act.

 

Enable land owners to determine the price and value of their land. Government to negotiate with land owners and not compensate them.

 

 Customary right of occupancy in Section 21 of the Act be amended to read “Customary Right of Occupancy should have the same status as statutory Right of Occupancy, and should also be extended to urban land”.

 

Section 7 of the Act which deals with the restriction on rights of persons under the age of 21 to be granted statutory right of occupancy should be amended to read “restriction of persons under the age of 18”. This, it was argued, is because the Child Rights Act stipulates that a person attains adulthood at the age of 18.

 

With the decision on the issue of the Land Use Act, the report of the Committee on Land Tenure Matters and National Boundary was formally adopted, as amended.

Yesterday I informed you that conference deferred voting of recommendations due to the appeal made by General Ike Nwachukwu and Hon Mohammed Kumalia in view of the consensus ongoing by a special committee comprising of leaders of geopolitical zones and delegates from the different zones, on the matter of derivation.

 

The Committee on Devolution of Power had in its report recommended that due to the sharp division created during discussions on the issue and based on the capacity of such division to destabilize the Conference and even the nation, the status quo (13%) be maintained.

 

This it said was to avoid upsetting “the existing peace and equilibrium in the polity,” which it described as a product of years of political engineering and craftsmanship by the founding fathers of the Nigerian nation.

 

However, tempers started rising during the debate on the report some delegates insisted on increase between 25% and 50%, other said nothing more than the position of the Committee on Devolution of Power would be acceptable.

 

Egos were massaged... 

The special committee that appealed yesterday came with their resolutions; Professor Ibrahim Gambari presented the report of the special committee.

He announced the committee has resolved that; 

- Derivation fund be increased from 13% to 18%;

-He also announced a 5% federal revenue allocation for solid mineral development - Which is part if the report of the committee.

- And another 5% for Stabilisation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of affected places in North East, North West and North Central.

 

He said the decision was reached after two straight days and several hours of meeting and negotiation between all the interest groups which extended beyond the leadership of the six geo-political zones.

 

"The decision of the group was guided by the belief that there would be no winners and there would be no losers; and that the only winner would be the Nigerian nation".

 

“We have reached agreement whereby no one will be completely unhappy,”.

 

As soon as Professor Gambari ended his presentation, murmurs and point of orders followed, many hands went up for re-opening of debate on the issue. Some delegates applauded the decision of the special committee.

 

Conference Deputy Chairman, after consultation with the Conference Chairman, announced that voting on the recommendations of the Committee on Devolution of Power would hold the following day- Thursday during which a decision would also be taken on the  Report of the special committee read by Prof Gambari.

We then adjourned at 2:55 pm to resume the following day at 9am.

 

On Twitter:@Yadomah...

Day 55: My National Conference Exploits (Devolution of Power)

Tuesday, 8th July 2014...

Conference resumed sitting at 09:10am, presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceedings of Monday 7th July were read, amended and adopted as amended.

Conference concluded deliberation on the committee on devolution of power. 

Normally after the deliberation the principal officers take 15 minutes break and come back for the adoption of recommendations. On that day, on their return to take their seat, delegates rose on their feet to applaud them. The chairman was bewildered, surprise was written all over his face - he thanked delegates for the encouragement and support.

It was time for the deputy chairman to take over and begin reading recommendations for adoption; 

Delegate General Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd) appealed to the chairman of the conference to grant leaders of the six (6) geo-political zones time to conclude an ongoing consensus building among delegates on derivation principle. This appeal was seconded by Hon. Mohammed Umara Kumalia. 

The Chairman approved the appeal and consequently differed voting on the proposed amendments and additional recommendations to the report of the committee on devolution of power till the following day.

We adjourned at 12:57 that day - because of the appeal to resume at 9:00am the following day. 

On Twitter: @Yadomah

Day 54: My National Conference Exploits (Devolution of Power)..

Monday, 7th July 2014

Conference resumed sitting at 09:28 am.

Votes and proceedings of Thursday 3rd July 2014 were read, amended and adopted as amended.

The last committee (Committee on Devolution of Power presented their report. The co-chairmen of the committee - Obong Victor Attah and Alhaji Ibrahim Commasie, IGP (rtd), presented the report of the committee to the conference. 

The report of the committee focused principally on devolving power from the centre to the federating units; and the issue of resources.

Critically examined in the report, were the issues of resource control, derivation principle, revenue sharing and the development and exploitation of mineral resources nationwide.

The report also examined 68 items cited in the Second Schedule, Part One of the 1999 Constitution which deal with the Exclusive Legislative List; and 30 items contained in Part Two of the Fourth Schedule that deal with the Concurrent Legislative List.

Most delegates from the South, particularly, the South South and South East said derivation should be increased from the present 13 percent to between 21.5 and 50 per cent, others suggested that  it should be reduced further from where it is now.

Resource control was the most debated aspect of the report.

Those who canvassed the view that states should control their resources said they did so in the spirit of devolution of power which allows the states to only pay or make appropriate financial contributions to the Federal Government.

Others argued that mineral resources in Nigeria are owned in law by the Federal Government as contained in Section 44(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Section 44(3) states that: “Not withstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, the entire property in and control of all minerals, mineral oil and natural gas in, under or upon any land in Nigeria or in, under or upon the territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone of Nigeria shall vest in the Government of the Federation and shall be managed in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.”

In its report, which is still subject to ratification by the Conference, the Committee said that after prolonged heated discussion on resource control, it unanimously agreed that the issue of derivation should rather be discussed instead of resource control.

It said its decision was informed by the emotive nature of the issue, which in the Committee’s view was capable of destabilizing the country.

On derivation, the Committee said some delegates were of the view that derivation should be increased either in a quantum or gradual manner; while others were opposed to any form of increase.

Instead, it said some members had proposed the reintroduction of the off-shore/on-shore dichotomy in derivation payments; at the same time, others stood against it.

It reported that even the abolition of intervention measures such as the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Niger Delta Development Commission and the Amnesty Programme if the derivation formula will be increased were robustly discussed.

After long debates which spanned four days on the issue, the report indicated that a consensus was reached on the issue to the effect that the status quo be maintained in order to avoid upsetting the existing peace and equilibrium in the polity which it described as a product of years of political engineering and craftsmanship.

On fiscal federalism which basically deals with how revenues are generated and distributed among the federating units in the federation, the Committee concluded that the powers conferred on the Federal Government to keep custody of and determine the terms and manner of fund allocation from the Federation Account negate the principles of fiscal federalism.

The Committee highlighted what it called imbalance in favour of the Federal Government in the sharing formula and maintained that the imbalance has adversely affected the performance of the federating units. It therefore asked for a review.

It recommended that the powers of the Federal Government under Section 162(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to prescribe the terms and manner of sharing national revenue should be exercised through the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

The Committee said RMAFC shall at the same time consult the federal and state governments before presenting a draft Bill on the matter to the National Assembly for enactment into law.

On vertical revenue sharing, which deals with how revenue is disbursed to federating units, the Committee emphasized the need for equilibrium between the central government and the federating units comprising states and local government.

It carried out examination of specific development challenges of states and local governments and concluded that to a great extent, rapid economic and social development could be achieved in the country if the percentage of revenues allocated to states and local governments were reviewed upwards.

The committee recommended that the sharing formula for funds accruing to the Federation Account among the three tiers of government should be: Federal Government 42.5% instead of the present 52.68%; State Government 35% instead of the current 26.72%; and the Local Government 22.5% to replace the current 20.60%.

The committee further recommended that the percentage given to population and equity of states in the existing sharing formula be reduced while that assigned to social development factor should be increased to a higher percentage to ensure accelerated development of all parts of the country. 

The proposed sharing formula by the committee is based on: diminished emphasis on principles of equality of states and population; increased emphasis on social development factor; and internally generated revenue.

On Mines and Minerals including oil fields, oil mining, geological surveys and natural gas, the committee recommends that they should be retained on the Exclusive Legislative List as specified in the 1999 Constitution but should be amended to read thus:

“The governments of states where the mining activities take place shall be involved in matters relating thereto; (and that) the government of the federation shall create a special fund to develope mines and minerals in states where such resources are undeveloped”

According to the committee, the overriding need to bring all other mineral resources of the country, hitherto undeveloped, into the mainstream development by activating National Strategic Plan for exploitation of minerals to boost their contribution to Gross Domestic Product(GDP), were considered in making this recommendation. 

Still on mineral development, the Committee recommends a constitutional provision for the establishment of a Special Fund for the development of mineral resources in the country.

It further proposed that 4.5% of the total revenue accruing to the federation should be devoted to this special fund when established.

In addition, the Committee wants the Special Fund to be in the form of a Venture Capital Fund and that a competent body should be established to administer the Fund according to the guidelines that shall be specified by the National Assembly.

Delegates deliberated extensively on these recommendations made by the committee, especially that of derivation formula. Further deliberation and voting on the proposed amendments and additional recommendation to the report were deferred till the following day.

We adjourned at 3:43pm to resume the following day at 9:00am.

On Twitter: @Yadomah

Day 53: My National Conference Exploits (Political Restructuring and Forms of Governance)

Thursday, 3rd July 2014....

Conference resumed sitting at 09:14am, we said the opening prayer and kick started the day. 

The Chairman presided over the morning session. 

Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted as amended.

On that day debate continued on the report of the Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government and was concluded that same day.

During the afternoon session presided over by the deputy chair, recommendations  made by the committee and additional recommendations from the floor were put to vote by the deputy chairman and the verdict of the vote was given by the chairman - this procedure started since we began deliberation on the reports of the critical and controversial committees. 

Some of the recommendations made by committee and additional recommendations made by delegates were:

- Henceforth, the office of the President of Nigeria shall rotate between the North and South and revolve among the geo-political zones.

- Office of state governors shall be rotated among the three senatorial districts of each state while that of the local government chairmen shall be rotated within the local government areas.

- Local government councils not democratically elected shall not be recognized by all authorities and persons and would not be entitled to any revenue allocation from the Federation Account or the Account of the State Government or exercise any function exercisable by local government councils.

- Where the President dies in office, is incapacitated, impeached or where he resigns, It was agreed that the Vice President shall operate in acting capacity for a period of 90 days, after which an election to the same office would be conducted.

Reason: Each zone is expected to run the full course of the constitutionally allowed tenure without undue disruption.

- Based on the adopted zoning formula, when a president leaves under any of the circumstances stated above, another president would be elected from the same zone where the previous one came from.

My major problem with zoning as a whole in Nigeria, is that one day we will be forced to elect a person just because he is from a particular zone not based on competence.

But we have to protect everyone's interest; right? 

- Modified Presidential System of Government; described as home-made model of government that combines the attributes of Parliamentary and Presidential systems was adopted. 

Reason: The concept is believed to have the potentials of entrenching the principle of Separation of Powers as practiced in the presidential system and promotion of co-operation and harmony between executive and the legislature as operated under the parliamentary system.

- The President elected under the new system shall exercise full responsibility for his government and shall select ministers, not more than 18 of them, from the six geo-political zones of the country.

 

-Henceforth, The Minister of Finance and no longer the President as presently obtained, that  would present the annual budget to the National Assembly. Under the new arrangement, both the President and the ministers would be expected to appear before the National Assembly to render account of their stewardship on a quarterly basis.

- Delegates  voted to retain the bicameral legislative system instead of the unicameral system proposed by the Committee.

- Delegates approved the scrapping of Joint State and Local Government Accounts; it is to be replaced with a State Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission. The body would be expected to have as members, representatives of local government areas and a chairman nominated by the state governor for confirmation by the state House of Assembly.

In addition to the functions conferred on the local government councils as specified in the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended, a State House of Assembly may by law, confer other functions on the local government. 

- Financial autonomy to be conferred on State Houses of Assembly as a way of freeing them from direct control by the Executive.

- There shall be quarterly question time for the President and for ministers at the legislature to enhance accountability and transparency. 

- Constitution shall fix the tenures for local government councils.

- Local government should be politically and economically independent.

- Each state of the federation could have its own constitution which would be subservient to the Federal Constitution.

 -  Delegates adopted a proposal that Nigeria reverts to her old National Anthem, “which is a more credible symbol of unity, peace and prosperity.”

Instantly, delegates - the old ones and the middle aged ones, were up on their feet and in unison sang the first stanza of the old National Anthem - As for us, the younger people, we sat and watched them sing.

- The Federal Government was urged to set up a new commission to address the plight of indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory and the Local Content Act Provision should be extended to the original citizens of the Federal Capital as it relates to procurement within the territory.

- 13% of the entire revenue generated from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) should be remitted to states whose lands were acquired for the FCT, to support them in handling the burden of population pressure on resource and infrastructure.

- Dividends for maintaining the host communities that were displaced for paltry compensation should be introduced. 

- There shall be revenue sharing formula established by law in every state. 

- Referendum/Plebiscite shall be provided for by law.

- The official entourage of political office holders should be curtailed by 80%.

- The official vehicles of political office holders should be made in or assembled in Nigeria.

- State ad hoc electoral councils shall be expanded to include women and youth representatives. 

- As a way of improving the wellbeing of Nigerians, Conference called for adoption of fiscal federalism.

- Attempts by some delegates to increase the number of senators from the Federal Capital Territory from one to two was opposed and voted out.

- Constitution should be amended to allow for less onerous process for state creation - the hustle for state creation is real o! 

- On the creation of new states, Conference said such aspiration must be backed by the potential viability of the proposed state in terms of economic potential, human, natural and material resources as well as minimum land and water mass. The envisaged state, must have cultural and historical antecedent, with strong cultural affinity amongst its population while the components should be contiguous.

- For any new state to be created such a new state must have a minimum population of one million persons - Given the absurdity of the demand for new states, when all of us are aware that the present states are largely unviable, why not just have 170 million states for the 170 million Nigerians? At least that might help underline the absurdity of the largely opportunistically driven, elite demand for ever newer number of states! (my opinion). 

-  Conference approved the creation of 18 more states especially one additional state for the South East zone, “in the spirit of reconciliation, equity and justice.”

The 18 states;

- Apa state from the present Benue state 

- Edu state from the present Niger state 

- Kainji state from the present Kebbi state 

- Katagun state from the present Bauchi state.

- Savannah State from the present Borno state.

- Amana state from the present Adamawa state.

- Gurara state from the present Kaduna state.

- Ghari state from the present Kano state.

-Etiti state from the present south east zone.

- Aba state from the present Abia state. 

- Adada state from the present Enugu state. 

- Njaba Anim state from the present Anambara and Imo states.

-  Anioma state from the present Delta state.

- Ogoja state from the present cross river state.

- Ijebu state from the present Ogun state.

- New Oyo state from the present Oyo state.

- That the third state to be created in the south south and south west  zone will be named later along with its state capital.

This I found really absurd and amusing to say the least; well I actually told them in my speech that what we need is a change in the state of affairs in this country and change of state of mind by some Nigerians, especially members of the elite, not more states.

The following day, Hassan Rilwan and myself, Yadoma Bukar Mandara, issued a press release that was published in most of the national dailies which reads:

The Nigeria of our dream is not Nigeria with more states but a Nigeria in good State. It was extremely embarrassing for us as delegates of the National Conference that approved the creation of 18 more states. What is happening in Nigeria? We understand the issues of marginalization in some states; we support innovative ways of solving it. Not creating more problems to solve a problem. Does state creation solve the issues of maginalization? What happens when others feel marginalized within the new states? Are we going to have to create even more states? Except we want to create states out of the over 300 ethnic groups in Nigeria. State creation as a solution is a short cut which is usually our way in Nigeria.

The only reason the elites want more states is to increase ease of access to power.  If that's the case, then rotation along zones would have solved that. What will solve marginalization are responsible leaders who will take special interest in the affairs of the minorities to see that they are adequately catered for. How did the Late Sardauna of blessed memory lead Northern Nigeria as a whole? He did it by making sure all had a sense of belonging which made the late Chief Sunday Awoniyi, a Yoruba and Christian in the North, to respect and remain loyal to him till he died. 

On one hand, we say we want to reduce cost of governance and on another we want to build 18 more government houses, create 18 more recurrent expenditure centres?

We the youth of this country reject the balkanisation of our country and urge our elders to please thread with restrain. Let us not make mistakes that will prove more difficult for our children to solve. Let us think out of the box and factually allow justice and selfless leadership take centre stage in our country.

Enough is Enough!

Though some of them argued that the new state will not need new revenues but the revenue of the old state, I still say I do not subscribe to the creation of more states.  Left to me there will be a merger of states instead since the creation of states has already served it's purpose.

Anyway back to the conference...

The report of the committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government was adopted as amended with some prospective governors of the newly recommended states to be created jubilating and grinning from ear to ear - wishes. 

The conference adjourned at 2:48pm to resume on Monday 7th July, 2014 at 09:00am. 

On Twitter: @Yadomah 

Day 52: My National Conference Exploits (Political Restructuring and Forms of Governance)

Wednesday 2nd July 2014….

Conference resumed sitting at 09:15am presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted as amended.

Announcement;

The Chairman introduced a new delegate Sen. Igbeke Alphonus , who replaced the late Prof Dora Akunyili.

Delegates began deliberation on the report of the Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Governance which was presented by their co-chairmen – General Ike Nwachukwu and Hon. Mohammed Kumalia  yesterday Tuesday 1st July 2014.

There was an Intensive debate on the Report.

The mandate of the committee as explained by the co –chairman was primarily to examine the extant structure and forms of governments in the context of the peculiar circumstances of Nigeria’s diverse and multi-ethnic setting.

It also included examination of Nigeria’s attendant challenges and the need to lay a solid foundation for an all-inclusive and cost-effective system of government which would serve the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.

Regarding creation of new states, the committee approved the creation of additional state for the South East geo-political zone, to place it on the same level with other zones.

The committee however stated that other states that need state creation must be based on merit and backed by the viability of the proposed state in terms of economic potential, human, natural and material resources as well as minimum land and water mass.

The envisaged state according to the committee must have cultural and historical antecedent, with strong cultural affinity amongst its population while the component should be contiguous.

My 3 minutes speech:

The problem of Nigeria is not only with the structure of Government but with the structurers of the structures too.

The problem of Nigeria is not Nigeria but Nigerians.

We can't talk about reduction of cost of Governance without reduction of the take home of political office holders; lawmakers in Nigeria for instance earn tens times the salary of their US counterparts; they earn more than what the US president earns.  

There are other  estacodes and allowances that should be cut down if we truly want to reduce the cost of Governance. So many jobs can be created with such allowances.

I will share with you some of the main recommendations of the committee in my next post and my opinion on the creation of states.

The Committee’s recommendations are to be adopted by delegates the following day.

We adjourned at 3:36pm to resume the following day at 9am.

On Twitter: @Yadomah 

Day 51: My National Conference Exploits (Political Parties and Electoral Matters)

Tuesday 1st July 2014..... 

Conference resumed sitting at 9:11am presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceeding of Monday 30th June 2014 were read, amended and adopted as amended. 

Announcement;  

The chairman called on delegate Amb Abdulmumuni Abubakar (AIG rtd), who requested to address the conference following his return from medical treatment. He expressed gratitude to delegates and management especially the secretary of the conference for concern and prayers during his period of hospitalization. 

The deputy chairman requested the underlisted committees to resubmit an original signature page of their respective report:

- Committee on National Security 

- Committee on Environment 

- Committee on Public Service 

- Committee on Land Tenure Matters and National Boundary 

- Committee on Religion 

- Committee on Public Finance

- Committee on Citizenship, Immigration and Related matters.

Well my Chair - Mrs Florence Ita Giwa (remember I was her deputy?) gave our committee report to me that one person didn't sign, instructed me to find the person and have him sign and return the report to the  conference management. This was the problem with our report (Environment).

The Chairman introduced two new delegates representing the All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA - Chief Victor Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi Abdullahi.  Some delegates were like haaaa'aaan; why now? To do what? Now? LOL! 

Anyway they stood up for recognition and were welcomed by delegates and management.

We continued discussion on the report of the Committee on Political Parties and Electoral Matters and later adopted and rejected some of the recommendations made by delegates and committee. 

Here are some of the adopted recommendations made by the committee and delegates; 

- Political debates shall be part of Nigeria's electoral process in line with global democratic traditions, culture and practices towards the deepening of democracy in Nigeria and a body or organization shall be accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to undertake the hosting of the debate. 

- Candidates seeking election to the office of President, Vice President, Governor, Deputy Governor or such other office as may be deemed appropriate at every general election must  participate or attend a mandatory political debate which shall be hosted prior to the date of general election.  

- States Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) be scrapped and its functions be transferred to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It was observed that the commission at that level has outlived its usefulness and has become a tool for governors to manipulate elections into local government councils.

- Review of the Electoral Act to further strengthen INEC`s capacity to effectively monitor party conventions.

- That Parties should be allowed to form and evolve on the basis of clear cut ideologies. 

- Minimum academic qualification for candidates seeking elective positions. For Presidential, Governorship and National Assembly candidates, should be first degree or its equivalent - Mandatory qualification.

- Candidates seeking to contest for States Houses of Assembly and Local Government Chairmanship elections are also expected to posses a first degree certificate or its equivalent while Secondary School Leaving Certificate or its equivalent was set as the minimum academic qualification for candidates seeking election as local government councilors.

- Establishment of a Political Parties Regulation and Electoral Offences Commission to be vested with various responsibilities connected with electoral matters.

Among the responsibilities of the Commission would be to investigate all electoral frauds and related offences; identify, trace and prosecute political thuggery; and other electoral offences as well as monitor the organization and operations of political parties, including their finances.

- Appeals from judgments in pre-election matters to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court should be filed within 21 days from the date the judgment of the lower court is delivered.

- Evidence Act be amended to shift the burden of proof in election matters to INEC. 

- Relevant provisions be made in the Electoral Act to ensure that no elected official is sworn in until all litigations on the elections are concluded.

- Any candidate adjudged by the courts to have been fraudulent in the electoral process should not only be barred from subsequent elections but should be disqualified from vying for any elective office or holding any government position for ten years.

- In addition any person removed from office, based on the decision of the court on fraudulent election, must lose all privileges attached to that office.

- If a candidate is disqualified by the court for not meeting the required qualification for contesting an election, or in situation where such a person is elected and the court orders him to vacate the office, the candidate with the second highest number of votes should be declared winner.

This recommendation, according to those that argued for it said it is to avoid waste of public funds to repeat elections consequent upon removal of disqualified candidate.

- On the appointment of INEC chairman - Justice Mohammed Uwais Report regarding the manner of appointing the INEC chairman was accepted.

- Any elected officials, executive or legislative who engages in cross-carpeting, regardless of the reasons for such, shall automatically forfeit his or her seat.

This provision, it said, shall not relate to cases where political parties merge to become a mega party. In such a case, Conference agreed that elected officials should have a choice to freely choose any political party they want to belong.

- Elected officers whose political parties, on whose platform they won election, later merge with other political parties after the elections should be allowed to retain their seats.

- Reservation of a defined quota for women and people living with disability in party hierarchy, however suggestion that 15 per cent slot should be reserved for persons living with disabilities was rejected.

- Accessible polling stations be established for persons with disability and that INEC should provide Braille ballot papers for the visually impaired persons.

- If a Candidate whose name was submitted to INEC dies or withdraws from election or is disqualified by a court of competent jurisdiction, the political party which nominated the candidate shall forward to the commission the name of the aspirant who scored the second highest number of vote at the primaries as the substitute candidate.

- Introduction of electronic voting system after the 2015 general elections. 

- Government should make efforts to demilitarize elections.

- Special mandatory provision should be made to compel INEC to electronically transmit result from all the wards upon conclusion of the counting process and that election results should be pasted at all ward levels.

- Government houses, cars and other facilities and resources should not be used for the partisan interests of any political party 

- It should be made mandatory by law for INEC to limit the numbers of voters in a polling unit to 500 as well as create as many polling units as the number of registered voters in every constituency.

As part of that, it was also agreed that the criteria for delineation of the units should be clearly spelt out for easy verification so that communities in need of redress and civil society organizations can have verifiable facts to seek redress.

-  In Multi-party systems, parties that can contest local government elections only, state elections only or federal elections should be allowed to exist. 

- Political party leadership and administration should be insulated from control and interference from chief executives of government at all levels, so that party independence is resorted. In so doing, the wishes of the party members as expressed through their votes will be reflected in party administration.

- May 29th should no longer be seen and observed as Democracy Day - don't know the new day recommended though, I will find out. (October 1st is the recommended Democracy Day).

- Public funds should not be used by elected politicians to fund the activities of their political parties.

- There should be continuous voters registration. 

- Political parties must keep proper record of funds raised and provide annual statements to the new political parties and electoral offences commission suggested to be established and also there should be an expenditure bar for political aspirants. 

- In order to enhance party independence and discipline, all members must submit to the principle of party supremacy. 

- There is need to place a ceiling on campaign financing. 

- Conference rejected the recommendation of the committee to rename the Federal High Court Constitution Court. Nigerians so believe in the miracle of changing names don't we? However conference accepted the establishment of a separate Constitutional  Court.

I have a story for you. 

One of our  (Youth) recommendations which was thrown out in two (2) committees was finally approved in this committee. This is the reduction of the age bar for participation of young people in politics. 

Tuesday 1st July 2014..... 

Conference resumed sitting at 9:11am presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceeding of Monday 30th June 2014 were read, amended and adopted as amended. 

Announcement;  

The chairman called on delegate Amb Abdulmumuni Abubakar (AIG rtd), who requested to address the conference following his return from medical treatment. He expressed gratitude to delegates and management especially the secretary of the conference for concern and prayers during his period of hospitalization. 

The deputy chairman requested the underlisted committees to resubmit an original signature page of their respective report:

- Committee on National Security 

- Committee on Environment 

- Committee on Public Service 

- Committee on Land Tenure Matters and National Boundary 

- Committee on Religion 

- Committee on Public Finance

- Committee on Citizenship, Immigration and Related matters.

Well my Chair - Mrs Florence Ita Giwa (remember I was her deputy?) gave our committee report to me that one person didn't sign, instructed me to find the person and have him sign and return the report to the  conference management. This was the problem with our report (Environment).

The Chairman introduced two new delegates representing the All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA - Chief Victor Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi Abdullahi.  Some delegates were like haaaa'aaan; why now? To do what? Now? LOL! 

Anyway they stood up for recognition and were welcomed by delegates and management.

We continued discussion on the report of the Committee on Political Parties and Electoral Matters and later adopted and rejected some of the recommendations made by delegates and committee. 

Here are some of the recommendations made by adopted;

- Political debates shall be part of Nigeria's electoral process in line with global democratic traditions, culture and practices towards the deepening of democracy in Nigeria and a body or organization shall be accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to undertake the hosting of the debate. 

- Candidates seeking election to the office of President, Vice President, Governor, Deputy Governor or such other office as may be deemed appropriate at every general election must  participate or attend a mandatory political debate which shall be hosted prior to the date of general election.  

- States Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) be scrapped and its functions be transferred to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It was observed that the commission at that level has outlived its usefulness and has become a tool for governors to manipulate elections into local government councils.

- Review of the Electoral Act to further strengthen INEC`s capacity to effectively monitor party conventions.

- That Parties should be allowed to form and evolve on the basis of clear cut ideologies. 

- Minimum academic qualification for candidates seeking elective positions. For Presidential, Governorship and National Assembly candidates, should be first degree or its equivalent - Mandatory qualification.

- Candidates seeking to contest for States Houses of Assembly and Local Government Chairmanship elections are also expected to posses a first degree certificate or its equivalent while Secondary School Leaving Certificate or its equivalent was set as the minimum academic qualification for candidates seeking election as local government councilors.

- Establishment of a Political Parties Regulation and Electoral Offences Commission to be vested with various responsibilities connected with electoral matters.

Among the responsibilities of the Commission would be to investigate all electoral frauds and related offences; identify, trace and prosecute political thuggery; and other electoral offences as well as monitor the organization and operations of political parties, including their finances.

- Appeals from judgments in pre-election matters to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court should be filed within 21 days from the date the judgment of the lower court is delivered.

- Evidence Act be amended to shift the burden of proof in election matters to INEC. 

- Relevant provisions be made in the Electoral Act to ensure that no elected official is sworn in until all litigations on the elections are concluded.

- Any candidate adjudged by the courts to have been fraudulent in the electoral process should not only be barred from subsequent elections but should be disqualified from vying for any elective office or holding any government position for ten years.

- In addition any person removed from office, based on the decision of the court on fraudulent election, must lose all privileges attached to that office.

- If a candidate is disqualified by the court for not meeting the required qualification for contesting an election, or in situation where such a person is elected and the court orders him to vacate the office, the candidate with the second highest number of votes should be declared winner.

This recommendation, according to those that argued for it said it is to avoid waste of public funds to repeat elections consequent upon removal of disqualified candidate.

- On the appointment of INEC chairman - Justice Mohammed Uwais Report regarding the manner of appointing the INEC chairman was accepted.

- Any elected officials, executive or legislative who engages in cross-carpeting, regardless of the reasons for such, shall automatically forfeit his or her seat.

This provision, it said, shall not relate to cases where political parties merge to become a mega party. In such a case, Conference agreed that elected officials should have a choice to freely choose any political party they want to belong.

- Elected officers whose political parties, on whose platform they won election, later merge with other political parties after the elections should be allowed to retain their seats.

- Reservation of a defined quota for women and people living with disability in party hierarchy, however suggestion that 15 per cent slot should be reserved for persons living with disabilities was rejected.

- Accessible polling stations be established for persons with disability and that INEC should provide Braille ballot papers for the visually impaired persons.

- If a Candidate whose name was submitted to INEC dies or withdraws from election or is disqualified by a court of competent jurisdiction, the political party which nominated the candidate shall forward to the commission the name of the aspirant who scored the second highest number of vote at the primaries as the substitute candidate.

- Introduction of electronic voting system after the 2015 general elections. 

- Government should make efforts to demilitarize elections.

- Special mandatory provision should be made to compel INEC to electronically transmit result from all the wards upon conclusion of the counting process and that election results should be pasted at all ward levels.

- Government houses, cars and other facilities and resources should not be used for the partisan interests of any political party 

- It should be made mandatory by law for INEC to limit the numbers of voters in a polling unit to 500 as well as create as many polling units as the number of registered voters in every constituency.

As part of that, it was also agreed that the criteria for delineation of the units should be clearly spelt out for easy verification so that communities in need of redress and civil society organizations can have verifiable facts to seek redress.

-  In Multi-party systems, parties that can contest local government elections only, state elections only or federal elections should be allowed to exist. 

- Political party leadership and administration should be insulated from control and interference from chief executives of government at all levels, so that party independence is resorted. In so doing, the wishes of the party members as expressed through their votes will be reflected in party administration.

- May 29th should no longer be seen and observed as Democracy Day - don't know the new day recommended though, I will find out. (October 1st is the recommended Democracy Day).

- Public funds should not be used by elected politicians to fund the activities of their political parties.

- There should be continuous voters registration. 

- Political parties must keep proper record of funds raised and provide annual statements to the new political parties and electoral offences commission suggested to be established and also there should be an expenditure bar for political aspirants. 

- In order to enhance party independence and discipline, all members must submit to the principle of party supremacy. 

- There is need to place a ceiling on campaign financing. 

- Conference rejected the recommendation of the committee to rename the Federal High Court Constitution Court. Nigerians so believe in the miracle of changing names don't we? However conference accepted the establishment of a separate Constitutional  Court.

I have a story for you. 

One of our  (Youth) recommendations which was thrown out in two (2) committees was finally approved in this committee. This is the reduction of the age bar for participation of young people.

One of the Youth delegates , Hassan Rilwan, during his 3 minutes speech recommended that  the age of 25 years should be the minimum age for contesting election into the state House of Assembly. We tried to reduce the age bar of the state House of Assembly and House of Representatives in the previous committees but it faced resistance from delegates, this time we tried only one. He also spoke on how political parties select the age mates of his parents as youth leaders, this he explained to them is embarrassing to young people. 

After his speech we had to lobby and meet delegates to approve the reduction of the age bar of participation of young people in politics as this is one of the agenda of the young people. Most of the mails and tweets I got from young people before the conference were soliciting for the age bar reduction.

After the lobbying, time for voting came. Normally the recommendations are projected for delegates to read while the deputy chair read it out for adoption. 

Immediately they scrolled to a page, Hassan and I noticed a recommendation suggesting that 10 years be reduced in every political office which was way out of our scope of recommendation, we had to meet the secretariat to tell them to help us tell the deputy chair not to read that particular recommendation as that will provoke most of the delegates, but it was not working.  I had to muster the courage to go and meet the deputy chair where he is seated, told him to please not read this recommendation but the one we made which was in the bottom page - Over 400 eyes on me. Very hard! But at the end of the day the recommendation was adopted. 

I just wonder who made  that recommendation though. Youths have enemies in the conference! LOL!

- Also our recommendation that Youth leaders of political parties should not be more than 35 years was also accepted.

Though they are yet to accept a % for inclusion of young people in politics and political process. Most of the elderly delegates feel some young people have not got the potential to be handed leadership positions! Having a chat with some of them revealed that. Some of them openly told me "some of the Youth representative even at this conference are embarrassing, they did not show us any sign of seriousness". They told me they sympathize with the serious ones like myself and few others who have good intentions and made them very proud.

Hearing them, I would tell that you have not met the right young people; we have 40 year olds representing the youths in the conference -apologies to them but this is no Youth.  We have millions of bright young Nigerians, brighter than me, who you feel is serious and bright; far more knowledgeable with wisdom and intellect, but who will never be given the opportunity to showcase their talent. But I believe we are getting there.

The report of the Committee on Political Parties and Electoral Matters was then adopted as amended. 

After adopting the report of the committee,  we still had some time left, so instead of closing, the Chairman of the conference requested the Chairman of the next committee in line to present their report - Political Restructuring and Forms of Governance. 

The co-chairmen of the committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Governance, General Ike Nwachukwu and Hon Mohammed Umara Kumalia presented the report of the committee.

Debate on the committee report will commence the following day.

Matter of Urgent National Importance:

Bomb blast at Monday Market in Maiduguri; the attention of conference was drawn to a fatal bomb attack at the Monday Market in Maiduguri,  Borno state, which occurred that day, Tuesday 1st July, 2014. The chairman requested the conference to observe a minute's silence in honor of the victims. 

The conference was also informed of the death of Elder-statesman, Alhaji Umaru Dikko which occurred that day, 1st July 2014. The chairman on behalf of the conference commiserated with the bereaved family.

We adjourned at 3:35 pm - Ramadan time to resume the following day at 9am.  

On Twitter: @Yadomah 

Day 50: My National Conference Exploits (Political Parties and Electoral Matters)

Monday 30th June 2014.. 

Conference resumed sitting at 09:10 am presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceedings of Tuesday 26th June 2014 were read, amended and adopted. 

Modification of conference proceedings;

The chairman of the conference - Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi suggested to delegates that in view of the ongoing Ramadan Fasting, the sitting hours of the conference should be adjusted. He put forward for consideration. One; the conference should commence at 9:00am to 2:00pm, and resume 4:00 to close at 5:30pm. Two, the conference should start at 9am and run through 3:30pm.

The conference adopted the latter recommendation. In addition, the chairman proposed that given consistent complaints by delegates that they have been serially denied the opportunity to contribute to debates on committee reports, conference should allot two days to deliberate on each of the remaining three (3) committee reports. The first day should be devoted to presentation of the report, followed by debates on same. More debate and amendments will be taken the following day. 

Conference adopted these modifications as proposed by the chairman.

After that allegations and counter allegation, argument and counter argument began. 

Motion of Urgent National Importance; 

A delegate drew the attention of the conference to a publication in the Daily Trust newspaper of 30th June 2014, alleging that the deputy chairman of the conference - Professor Bolaji Akinyemi was lobbying delegates from the Northern parts of the country to support a purported new constitution as the outcome of conference deliberation. 

Arguments started as delegates were divided on whether the Conference Deputy Chairman - Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, should respond to it or not.

Some delegates were of the view that the publication should be dismissed as it was meant to distract the Conference from its set goals. They argued to the effect that: "those who are disappointed by the progress the conference has made so far are bent on scuttling it, this should be resisted".

Those who shared that position also challenged those behind the publication and requested that those who claimed to have been lobbied by the Deputy Chairman to step forward and justify their claims with evidence; failing, the Daily Trust newspaper that published the stories should be asked to apologise to the Conference.

Some delegates however raised a counter motion demanding that the Deputy Chairman should be allowed to explain himself since he was present at the sitting.

“Morality demands that the Deputy Chairman clears his name, he is a man of integrity and his integrity is on the line with this allegation  .”

Well, finally the Deputy Chairman said he will explain to the conference what actually happened. He denied ever lobbying anybody to adopt a new constitution which the publication alleged he was spearheading.

He explained that a few days ago, as was customary when they are contentious issues that have the potential of threatening the smooth progression of the Conference, he had approached political leaders at the Conference from both the north and the south separately, to discuss their differences regarding the issue of whether or not there was need for a new Constitution arising from the proceedings of the Conference.

He said it was normal for him or any member of the leadership to seek such diverse opinions from delegates across geo-political lines towards resolving any contentious issue that usually arise from the Conference before such issues are eventually put up for division at plenary.

He went ahead to mention names of people he met to discuss the issue and stated without any ambiguity that the issue of lobbying for adoption of a new constitution for the Conference was absolutely false as he only set out to ensure harmony between two opposing groups in the spirit of bridge building. 

Shortly after, the former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie, who was also mentioned in the story, confirmed he was invited to the meeting by the Deputy Chairman but could not attend although he delegated a team of northern delegates to meet with the Deputy Chairman to discuss the issues involved. He affirmed to the explanation of the Deputy Chairman.

However "last Tuesday, I was told a new constitution has been written". He went ahead to mention Chief Raymond Dokpesi as the person who had invited him to a meeting and who later gave him a document which allegedly was published on the claims of representing the position of the Conference. And the way some of the content of the document was hidden from the head of the Northern Delegation. 

Chief Dokpesi who spoke next absolved the leadership of the Conference from involvement in the meeting he convened and the issuance of what he called a Working Document produced by the group which comprised delegates from the existing geo-political zones.

He said he and Professor Ibrahim Gambari had convened a meeting under the auspices of National Consensus Bridge-Building Group to discuss and close areas of differences regarding some critical areas of agreement and disagreement at the Conference.

Chief Dokpesi mentioned the controversy surrounding the creation of State Police which was resolved last week without any dissenting voice as one of such areas discussed and agreed upon.

The delegate noted that membership of the Group which he said he convened as a lobbying body without the knowledge of the leadership of the Conference cut across all the geo-political zones represented at the Conference.

He said three delegates were nominated by the group from each of the geo-political zones and that part of their agenda was analysis of all the reports submitted by the 20 Committees appointed by the Conference, particularly the recommendations of the committees.

Regarding the publication, Chief Dokpesi said it had nothing to do with the leadership of the Conference and that “there is nothing secret in the document,” declaring that it was a mere working document agreed upon by 15 of the 18 members of the group - See??? 15 out of 18 deciding for 492. There is God o! 

He declared: “I want to affirm irrevocably that the leadership (of the National Conference) has nothing absolutely to do with this Committee. This is a working document and not a final document.”

He however noted that Professor Auwalu Yadudu, a delegate, had approached him last week with a letter declaring that all the northern delegates were withdrawing from the group on the grounds that what the group was doing was sponsored.

Dokpesi told the conference, he did his best to convince Professor Yadudu that the activities of the group had nothing to do with the Conference leadership; and that the group was there to discuss and agree on certain contentious issues.

Professor Yadudu however was battling to be recognized to speak but was ignored. 

At the end of the explanation, the Conference Chairman -  Justice Idris Kutigi, GCON, said from all the explanations offered, it was clear that the leadership of the Conference knew nothing about the document in question.

He said while delegates were free to meet and discuss issues of interest regarding the Conference, “If you want to do anything for yourselves, please do so, but don’t include us.” He told delegates that the leadership of the Conference was seeing the document for the first time when it was presented to him during the plenary session by Alhaji Coomasie and insisted that the leadership had nothing to do with it contrary to what was speculated in the media.

After the fuss, 

A Bishop delegate on behalf of team representing Christian Association Of Nigeria (CAN) and the entire Christian community, felicitated with Muslims as they embark on an intense spiritual exercise, the Ramadhan.  He urged both Muslims and Christians to embrace the way of peace and harmonious co-existence as people and also urged Muslim to pray so their Muslim brothers will stop killings.

In response, another delegate - Secretary General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs accepted the goodwill of the Christian community on behalf of Muslims  across the country. He however urged Nigerians to stop branding Muslims  in Nigeria as supporting the acts of terrorism by the Boko Haram. He reiterated that Muslins are generally peace loving  and invited Nigerians to treat them as such.

The co-chairmen of Committee on Political parties and electoral matters - Senator Iyorchia Ayu and Sen. Ken Nnamani, GCON, presented the report of the committee to the conference.

Some of the recommendations made  by the committee;

- Any person convicted of any electoral offence should be disqualified for a period of ten years from the date of conviction; from contesting any election or holding any elective or appointive position either in government or political party. Such offences include registration offences, campaign finance breaches and breach of political party finance provision.

- Any action challenging the conduct of primaries by a political party shall be filed within fourteen days of the accrual of the cause of action.   

- Enforcement of a Code of Conduct for political parties already drawn up by the Inter-Party Advisory Council.

- In the course of screening nominees of the President for any INEC position, the Senate should set aside at least two weeks to allow for public objection, if any.

-  For parties to enhance party independence and discipline, all members must submit themselves to the principle of party supremacy and that elected members of the party must respect party decisions at all times.

- Biometric data of the Nigerian electorate should be captured, stored and used for elections in the country. In addition, INEC should ensure that the latest technology is deployed at all times in the conduct of elections as is the case in other jurisdictions.

- Relevant sections of the Constitution and the Electoral Act be amended to provide for independent candidacy during elections. 

The conference extended delibration on the report of the committee on Political Parties and Electoral Matters to the next sitting on Tueday, 1st July, 2014 - I will share with you more recommendation made by the committee in my next post... 

The conference adjourned at 3:34pm to resume on Tuesday 1st July 2014 at 9:00am.

Day 49: My National Conference Exploits (National Security)

Thursday 26th June 2014...

Conference resumed sitting - of course after saying the national prayer as always at 9:15am presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted as amended. 

On that day, conference considered the recommendations made on the committee on National security report which was not adopted the previous day due to the exclusive session held. 

Here are some of the recommendations made by the committee and additional recommendations made by delegate; 

- Henceforth, any state of the federation desirous of having a State Police Force can establish, fund and control it. The State Police will cover the state and operate within the laws enacted by the State Assembly.

 

- In addition to state police, sate laws should also provide for community policing. 

 

- State governors should be involved in the running of the Federal Police in their respective states. 

- Officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in the Federal Police should be deployed to their states of origin - this to me doesn't make sense.

 

- To make the police more people friendly, an amendment to section 214 of the 1999 constitution was recommended so that The Nigeria Police Force will be called The Nigeria Police - Na by change of name ? - You may ask are you not part of the conference? I answer - not all recommendations adopted is adopted by all.

 

- Establishment of a National Border Patrol Force to secure and protect the nations border. The Border Patrol Force is to be domiciled in the Ministry of Defence.

 

- Creation of a Security and Intelligence Services Oversight Committee (SISOC) to map out our security architecture. 

 

The committee is to be composed of a retired Chief Justice of Nigeria as chairman, a former head of the Civil Service, and a former Director General of the State Security Service or National Intelligence, as members. 

 

- Establishment of Water Way Safety Corps to man the waterways and riverine areas. The corps is expected to perform similar functions as that of the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC)    

 

- Government was mandated to enact a law that would impose speed limit on convoys of government officials and limit to the number of vehicle to be in such convoys. The number of vehicles in the convoys is to be determined by Federal Road Safety Corps in consultation with the Police and the Department of States Security Service.

 

Such a law is expected to reduce the recklessness of convoys of government officials which had in the past led to loss of lives; it would also reduce wastage of government funds. 

But we all know these police officers that are meant to be consulted contribute to the fleet of convoys in this country. This is the case of finding solution from the problem, result will be - problematic solution.

Further recommendations; 

    

- Retired military personnel should be mobilized and trained to fight terrorism - I so like this! If you see the faces of the retired military men in the conference when that recommendation was adopted eheeen! "As in" and "WTH" written all over their faces LOL? 

 

- Government was also mandated to set up Counter Terrorism Architecture to among others: harmonize national counter terrorism efforts; and provide the platform for foreign assistance.

 

It would equally interface between Nigeria and Africa Union (AU) countries especially contiguous states such as Niger, Chad, Cameroun and African Center for the Study and Research on Terrorism and engage the services of well trained counter terrorism operatives to work within the established in-country infrastructure.

 

- Federal character outlook of the military be reflected at the entry point into the Nigeria Defense Academy in cases of officers and at the recruitment stages and training depots, in case of soldiers, airmen, and sailors.

 

- Table of equipment including clothing should be updated regularly instead of waiting for the declaration of a state of emergency.

 

- Establishment of a Military Industrial Zone which will include but not limited to collaboration with the industrial and manufacturing sector in the area of research and development, production, use and support for military, training weaponry and equipment.

 

- Life insurance for all armed security personnel by government.

 

- Federal Government should set aside a special fund to rehabilitate and reconstruct the North East, which has suffered devastating attacks from Boko Haram.

 

- Communities such as Odi in Bayelsa State, Zaki Biam in Benue state and others that were destroyed in the process of restoring internal peace be compensated.

 

- On gender issue, the recommendation that government should ensure gender mainstreaming with respect to recruitment into the Armed Forces and the various security agencies was approved but one recommendation recurring 50% women inclusion in security outfits was strongly rejected. LOL! Some of the Women recommendations though...

 

- Compulsory life insurance for all armed security personnel by government as well as imploring the Federal Government to look into all pending Police Reform Committees/Panel Reports and implement their recommendations.

 

- Inspector general of Police should be the accounting officer of the Nigeria Police and be answerable to the Nigeria Police Council on financial matters.

 

- Government should review the procedure of using the military in the aid of civil authority in matters of internal security because the existing procedure referred to as the “blue and brown cards” which was signed by the Prime Minister in 1960 is obsolete.

 

- The Nigeria Air Force, should be more involved in the management of Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) in partnership with the Civil Aviation Authority in securing the country’s airspace.

- The abuse and misuse of police officers as guards and aides was recommended to be stopped. Saying more police officers are doing duties that they are not recruited to do. 

This reminded me of the aides of a delegate I saw the other day at the venue of the conference. More than 5 police officers and about 10 civilian guarding him; I had to ask the ones behind - "all of you for one person"? They gave me a look and continued following their boss.

Now this is just one, mind you there are more of such delegates, some with 5 police officers as guards some with more, some with less. See the drain in policing? These are officers that ought to secure and safeguard the people not the special people. 

Well, after adopting some of the recommendations and rejecting some, the 67 page report of the committee on National Security was adopted as amended.

We adjourned at 6:39 pm to resume on Monday. 

On Twitter: @Yadomah.... 

Day 48: My National Conference Exploits (National Security)

Wednesday, 25th June 2014

Conference resumed sitting at 9:18am  presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted as amended.

Twice on Wednesday, and for the first time since the National Conference was inaugurated on March 17 have we ever held a closed-door session, on the issue of national security.

The first session which started at about 9.18am was meant to consider the Report of the Conference Committee on National Security headed by a former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Muhammmed Gambo Jimeta and former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Chief Albert Horsfall.

After the deputy chairman of the committee presented the first part of the report of the committee on National Security, and reached the second part - intelligence gathering, he craved the indulgence of the chairman to excuse press men and women as this matter is rather discussed in close door.

The Chairman of the conference asked journalist to leave the hall immediately – many journalist in the conference including other delegates found this very offensive, saying the journalist were humiliated out, rather than requested to move out in a polite way – the chairman apologized.

After the presentation by the deputy chair of the committee, delegates started giving their recommendations on the matter of security – again the chairman asked if journalist should be called back or kept out, but some delegates and the management of the conference, decided to hold deliberation in close door, in the best interest of delegates. Some delegates however threatened to leave together with the journalist. Later everyone calmed down and proceedings continued.

My recommendation during my three (3) minutes presentation on the community on National Security;

- We must understand that the problem we are faced with is not a regional problem but a national problem. People take misery for breakfast, frustration for lunch, fear for dinner. Government spent trillions and billions on security but bombing, killing and adduction is still the order of the day, girls are still missing – what is been done with the money voted for security? We need to know.

- We want to see action, how come no terrorist was persecuted since this incidence started. Who finance them? 

- Nigeria is the wrong place to die, if you die in Nigeria you are nothing but a statistic, we need to respect our fallen brothers and sisters and have and appropriate data of them.

- Finding those missing girls is key, however protecting our public places like market, parks and schools is the padlock. We need to secure our schools.

- The least you can do this country today is stop spreading hate, say peace, do peace, preach peace, stop stereotyping. On that note I ended the speech.

So many recommendations were made by other delegates, which will be captured on my next post.

However, as Conference resumed in the afternoon to consider the recommendations contained in the report and some proposed amendments, a delegate raised an order of urgent national importance that Nigeria is playing- world cup by 5pm so the conference should close so that delegates can go and watch the match. Some unserious delegates agreed with that motion while others like myself, strongly rejected it saying we are here on a national assignment and the super eagles are doing a national assignment too so we shouldn’t ridicule ourselves by closing the conference to watch football while we are complaining that time is against us.

Immediately after that; Information about plans by Boko Haram to burn down 50 communities in Borno State was raised by a delegate who said he got a phone call from Borno and pleaded with people that have connection at the conference to please alert the security. Some minutes later the delegate thanked the conference, saying; he got a call from the SGF office asking him of details of this planned attack.

As the discussion progressed, news of a bomb blast at a shopping complex in Abuja was received by the delegates. After deep discussions, the Principal Officers of the Conference agreed that a closed door exclusive session to discuss the Boko Haram phenomenon would hold on Thursday morning.

However, the plan changed when a delegate, raised an objection to the arrangements and asked the Conference to reconsider its position and go into a close session immediately in view of the seriousness of the issues involved and that most delegates after the shocking news are not in the mood to vote.

At this point, Chairman of the Conference and former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Kutigi, GCON, mandated his Deputy and former Minister of External Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, to clear the gallery and proceed with the closed-door session where delegates discussed freely on Boko Haram.

The session started with a retired general who led the Conference through the strategies involved in the war against Boko Haram. He traced the history of the insurgency and dazed delegates with information on what should have been done at the beginning that were not done.

In addition to poor intelligence gathering, he said low morale among the soldiers from remuneration to kitting, to provision of ammunitions were responsible for failure in the war against Boko Haram.

He said in fighting war against a group that exists in splinters, a group whose membership exists principally in the imaginations, would require extreme intelligent gathering and implementation without any attempt at politicking with facts.

Another speaker, a politician, said Boko Haram is thriving because they have been allowed to outsmart security agents in the area of funding and morale-boosting.

It was his view that people entrusted with the management of funds and proper application of other forms of resources meant to combat insecurity in the country have diverted such resources to personal use; a development which has resulted in the current state of affairs.

Another delegate, a journalist, said the growth and strength of Boko Haram were based on the wrong impression that the violent sect is a northern conspiracy against the southern parts of the country; especially the South South.

According to him, such a belief and other misconceptions have made the war against Boko Haram a failure when actually the real victim in the entire bloody affair is the Nigerian State.

“I don’t believe Boko Haram is a Nigerian issue,” said one of the outspoken female delegates from the far north.

She explained further: “I believe Nigeria is being invaded. But because we have massacred ourselves already, we are not organized to confront them. We must be united with government against terror. We are facing a declaration of war.”

Another delegate, a former ambassador, said the seeming failure of the war against Boko Haram was traceable to the inability to implement recommendations contained in various reports submitted to government by different formal and informal groups.

He said: “We must know how this thing started. We must know who the sponsors are. We must know the people involved. We must know the mission of Boko Haram.”

The delegate disclosed that Boko Haram has grown to a level where “its funding is offshore; its weapons accumulation is offshore; its training is offshore and its strategy is offshore.”

It was also disclosed that the war against Boko Haram cannot be won purely by military might except the country improves on its intelligence gathering method and most importantly win the hearts of the people.

A Christian religious leader in his contribution said it was time for everyone to open up on the issue of Boko Haram rather than pretend that nobody knows where the executors of the insurgency live or how they get their food. These insurgents, according to him, are no spirits. They live among the people, interact with the people and get their supplies from the people and communities. The genuine involvement of the local communities will go a long way in tackling the problem.

He said, “Boko Haram phenomenon is not a northern phenomenon. Boko Haram is a Nigerian phenomenon. A time has come for us to unmask the masquerade. A time has come for someone to tell us the home truth about Boko Haram.”

The delegate challenged delegates and other Nigerians especially those from the operational base of Boko Haram to locate the source of Boko Haram and identify who does the recruitment and expose the members to ideological thoughts.

It was his view that if the war against terror must be won, the sponsors “who give the terrorists weapons that are even superior to those used by the military must be exposed; even the parents who handover their children to be so radicalized must be brought to book.”

Another delegate said the action of security men who carry out reprisal attacks on communities where Boko Haram carry out their operation contributed to the lack of confidence and trust being exhibited by the people.

He said there was need to show genuine concern to the people and communities attacked by Boko Haram; and there must be concerted effort by the leadership of the country to show that the people deserve the required care and compassion.

It was also suggested that those who divert monies meant for security matters must be made to face the law if the trend must stop and if the security agencies must have the required equipment and logistics.

The morale of the countries security agencies and forces must receive adequate boost and the people must enjoy the trust and confidence of the leadership as a first step to fighting insurgency and other forms of criminal activities in the country.

Another delegate pleaded with the Federal Government to please hasten in the rescue of the abducted girls if not we will end up having female terrorist soon.

After the executive session, a delegates complained that only people from the north were called to speak and added "we were not called to defend the other side of the country". 

The deputy chair explained that he deliberately called on people from the north because only from them will facts be gotten- they still groaned.

Well, we adjourned at 6:55 pm to resume the following day at 9am to adopt recommendation made by the committee on National security.

On Twitter: @Yadomah