Day 31: My National Conference Exploits

Monday 26th May 2014, proceeding started at exactly 9.05 am.

 

Amendments were made on the votes and proceedings of the previous day and adopted as amended.

 

Announcement:

 

The Chairman announced that there will be no sitting on Thursday 29th May 2014, because it will be Democracy Day; the Deputy Chair manannounced that a delegate, Chief Edwin Clark celebrated his 87th birthday on the 25th May - As If we all care!

 

Then the Deputy Chair announced the names of 16 people to go help sort out the pending issue of Land Use Act which was proposed to be expunged by the Committee on land tenure but decision was not reached because of lack of consensus - as reported in the previous blog post.

 

Committees that had not laid their reports did so such as the  Committee on Transport.

 

We then began discussing the report of my committee - Environment. Everyone seem to commend us for a job well done; some came with some criticism but some others were supporting recommendations made.

 

There was a heated debate and disagreements on the issue of “Resource Democracy” which was part of our recommendations; it meant each state and /or community to have a sense of ownership oftheir resource(s), some said we tried to smuggle in “Resource Control”; and that generated a lot of controversy.

 

Even those that were for it, who actually thought it is about Resource Control, were absolutely wrong.

 

Well, amendments were made to our committee report as well as recommendations- I didn't expect people will have so much interest in our report - partly because of the glaring ignorance of most Nigerians on issues of the Environment and the lack of awareness on Environmental issues and concerns. But to my greatest surprise so many showed interest, so many approached me appreciating the work of my committee and confessed that they have learned a lot from it.

 

After recommendations were made and additional recommendations were put to vote and nays and yeas were said, and after throats have dried up and bones had became tired, we adjourned at 6.18 pm to resume the following day .

 

 

 

 

Day 30: My National Conference Exploits..

Thursday 22nd May 2014

 

Conference resumed sitting at some minutes past 10am.

 

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

 

The chair announced that the federal government has granted Four (4) weeks extension for the National conference consequently the conference will end on July 17th 2014 - well my opinion on this has been aired in my post some weeks ago. Initially the conference management sought for an extension of six(6) weeks from the government, but the government declined togrant 6 weeks extension, offering instead, 4 weeks. The conference felt it is impossible for delegates’ opinions on the 20 reports to be heard and collated within the original timeframe, hence the need for extending the conference’s duration.

 

A recommendation was made that the time for sitting which normally starts by 10am be brought to 9am to gain an extra hour for deliberation since time is very much against us - this was agreed upon.

 

One of the most contentious issues that brought controversy the previous day, was the establishment of grazing reserves, cattle ranches for nomadic herdsmen and the responsibility for the funding of such grazing reserves, cattle ranches, modern fodder development technology etc.

 

A motion was passed that: An integrated development and livelihood modernization program be designed and implemented to address the issues of settling nomadic herdsmen into settled communities based on established cattle ranches with fodder development technologies and including abattoirs, processors and other business along the livestock chain. It was also suggested that an integrated development and modernization program should be funded by both federal and state governments in states where such settlement are established and that this integrated development programs should be undertaken and wrapped up within a period of 5 to 10 years after which such settlements should have become self- sustaining with the full integration of the nomadic herdsmen community into modern Nigeria’s political economy.

 

This motion was adopted by the house.

 

Hence the motion for adoption of the report on committee on citizenship, immigration and related matters was moved and seconded.

 

Committees on devolution of power laid their report; a member of that committee who described herself as a lone voice presented a“minority report” saying she does not agree with the committee’s report especially in respect of the Derivation Formula. Well therules of the conference clearly stated that if 70% are in support of a position, it becomes final, moreover minority report is unknown to the conference in the words of the Chairman and giving room to such minority report will open room for more.

 

We moved on to committee reportspresentation. The Committee on Land Tenure Matters presented their report.

 

Some brilliant recommendations were made in the report.

 

The contentious issue was the recommendation of the committee on the need to expunge the Land Use Act 1978 from the 1999 Constitution. There was a clear regional divide on the issue - a part are for it and another part was vehemently against it,saying it's a capitalist movement and expunging it will greatly affect the masses.The debate was too hot, it was finally put to vote - voice vote but the voice was at par. The 'yeas' and the 'nays' hence it was bracketed. Decision on that particular recommendation was deferred - the committee report not adopted yet.

 

We adjourned at some minutes to 6pm to resume on Monday - yes no sitting on Friday as always.

On Twitter: @Yadomah 

 

Day 29: My National Conference Exploits..

Wednesday 21st May 2014

 

The National prayer, which is always the first Item on the order paper, was said. Votes and proceedings of the previous day were read, amended and adopted.

 

A motion of urgent public importance was moved - drawing the attention of the house over the twin bomb explosions that went off at the Terminus Market in Jos on Tuesday 20th May 2014 in which several persons lost their lives. the motion suggested the need to observe a minute’s silence in honor of the victims and to send a condolence message to the families of those affected. So many comments, observation and condemnation were made after the motion was read and it was unanimously adopted. We, rose for a minute’s silence.

 

The next item was the continuation of laying of reports - committees that did not lay their reports on the first day, did so; Committee on Civil Society, Labour, Youth and Sports and Committee on Political Parties and Electoral Matters.

 

Discussion on the report of the Committee on Citizenship, immigration and Related Matters began. Some brilliant recommendations were made by the committee and some other brilliant recommendations were added by delegates not forgetting the not so brilliant ones.

 

The contentious issue on the report that caused emotional outburst was the recommendation that reads - "the state of origin of herdsmen should be responsible for funding grazing reserves or ranches" - this got so many furious especially the Fulanis - "some of these nomadic herdsmen do not have a particular settlement and saying the state should establish and fund their ranches is impractical", they cried.

 

Well the issue was bracketed and deferred.

 

However, the other recommendations made on the report were adopted but the committee report was not adopted because of the bracket. We adjourned till the following day.

On Twitter: @Yadomah

Day 28: My National Conference Exploits...

Monday 19th May 2014 we converged atplenary after committee work.

 

We started around 10.03 am after saying the prayer we adopted votes and proceedings of 17th April - the one we had before going for our various committee work. The major amendment made was on the issue of theChibok Girls and the misinformation given before we left for committee work - that all the girls, except 8, were rescued and which was reflected in our minutes  - remember that military misinformation?

 

Delegates also screamed out with a loud voice to #Bringbackourgirls and the need for government to intensify action in rescuing the girls. They also applauded the international community for offering to helping us. Somedelegate were against the applause, while others were for it, saying we are under attack and it is not just a Nigerian problem.

 

 

Announcement was made of the passing away of a delegate, an Elder statesman, Mohammed Abubakar Jumare, who died on 5th May 2014. The conference observed a minute’s silence in honor of the deceased.The chairman also announced the nomination of 2 delegates, one to replace the LateHamma Misau that passed on and the other to replace the civil society member that declined to join the conference.

 

Committees presented their reports; a littledrama occurred when I went to lay our committee report. My chair was absent when they called out our committee and all eyes were on me to go and lay down our report. I went stepped down wearing my #BringBackOurGirl red shirt, presented the report to the house, dropped it and left - I was applauded - I guess the sympathy of being the youngest and the deputy chair, drove the applause. After laying the report my Chair showed up so I went and reported to her that I have already laid our report and she said "Good, I am proud of you"

 

Some minutes later I saw my chair speaking to the conference management and not long after, the Committee on Environment was called again; my chair stepped down to re-lay our report and there was a massive "boo" from conference members. They didn't allow her say a word as the boos were deafening... She called out: “where is my vice chair" I had to step down again and the house began clapping, sympathy for the young. We re-laid the report. This really got delegates furious as to why she should do such! Well she explained to me later that she wanted to snap a photograph. Convenient, huh?

 

Well, e no bother me sha...

 

After most reports were laid we were given the reports of the committees that we are to treat on Wednesday - that is we had a day’s break to go and review the reports; no sitting on Tuesday.

 

We adjourned till Wednesday....

See you soon..

On Twitter: @Yadomah 

 

Day 27: My National Conference Exploits..

On Thursday 15th May 2014 - Last day for committee work, we started as usual - we said the opening prayer, adopted the minutes of the previous meeting without amendment and discussed on ways we will make our presentation during the plenary.

We were requested to submit 20 copies of our committee report but our chair took it upon her self to make 500 copies for each delegate. 

Committee - Environment members thanked and hailed myself and the chair for a good leadership disposition and making a room for friendship and co existence. 

One of the committee members from Anambra promised to hook me up with one of his people and the other from Imo countered him by saying he has already booked me for his son. Well, they all know not that one of our committee member has already booked me for his son from Akwa Ibom, they even gave me option for polyandry. Variety they say is the.........? 

And then the tea boy that always smile at me when I go to take tea - he was always friendly and told me he was going to speak with me after our committee work. After the session, I completely forgot and only saw him on my way to the parking lot, he told me he is a footballer, just coming back from Dubai and that the tea business is controlled by one of his own, he is just here offering a helping hand and requested that he would want to be meeting with me often. ermmmm...*lips sealed*

After I have left the conference venue for home, my chair - Environment called me to come and meet her up at the business center that we both need to sign the original copy of our committee report, I went, met her and signed. 

We had to submit the report that very day at the conference secretariat and the 500 copies she intended to submit was not ready - we were all at the business center. I gave a helping hand in putting together the reports but it was getting late and very obvious we cannot get the 500 copies finished and delivered that very day, so we picked 30 copies and headed to the venue of the conference at about 7pm we reached the conference venue at some minutes after 7, went to the office of the deputy chair - national conference and submitted our report to him - finally finally done with committee work that is. The other copies - 500 was on the following day submitted to the conference secretariat. 

See you at first plenary after committee work on Monday.

On Twitter: @Yadomah 

Day 26: My National Conference Exploits

Wednesday 14th May 2014, we started by saying the opening prayer as always, the minutes of the previous meeting was adopted without amendment.

We had a press conference were the chair - Committee on Environment  briefed media men and women on what the committee on Environment did and gave them an overview.

She answered questions from press but funny though, the press only got interested in the issue of Bakasi and didn't care about all other issues that we had sleepless night pening down, but you can't blame the press, can you?

Without much deliberations, we adjourned till the following day so the Chair - Committee on Environment and I - deputy can go for the meeting of 50 wise men, committee chairs and the conference management.

The meeting was set up basically to get idea(s) as to how plenary will be and how time will be saved as time is very much against us. People gave their ideas, I was also opportune to give mine that; we should start by deliberating on the less controversial committee reports first before moving to the most controversial ones, and the need for them to recognize youths when we get to plenary,  which was welcomed. 

After much discussions on some key issues. We adjourned the meeting of the wise men and others :) 

On Twitter: @Yadomah 

Day 25: My National Conference Exploits....

13th May 2014, deliberation started early, the chairperson presided over the meeting.

The final harmonized position of the committee on Environment was presented to the committee by the head of the drafting committee whom we nominated.

After that we began deliberation on the draft report. Some amendments were made.

I presided the afternoon session.

There was a part that almost charged the committee and caused confusion but at the end of the day we agreed and moved on.

The aspects that says each state should manage its resource which reflected on our report- some committee members were of the opinion it should be expunged so we won't come through as off point since there's a committee saddled with that responsibly, some members of the committee made clarification on the issue. Whenever the word resource is mentioned  - Nigerians always believe it's oil and Gas but most states do have their resource and to blossom we need to start thinking differently and do things differently, and the resource in this context doesn't necessary mean oil and gas. If each state can manage some of its resource and have a sense of ownership things will be different.

Well we had to leave it as it is and forge ahead.

After further amendments we reached the end of the final report and adopted it as amended, though it took us a long time to reach the conclusion but finally, we did.

There was then a motion on the plight of the people of Bakasi and the need to mention it in our report especially in the aspect that speaks about resources and how we will restore their farmlands and other resources they have lost to Cameroon.

Well the committee accepted the motion but pleaded that it should be shared with other relevant committees too, because most of the plight of the people of Bakasi cannot be attained by the committee on environment.

Way from my committee....

Well the committee on Judiciary have a suggestion that all cases that are not constitutionally related should start and end in the various states it emanated from.

This, to me will fast track justice and end unnecessary delays in passing judgements. But, what do I know..let me leave it for the lawyers and judges to argue on this

See you soon...

On Twitter: @Yadomah...