Today na Today: Nigeria’s National Conference Begins Today

The Nigerian President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, will inaugurate the National Conference at the National Judiciary Institute in Abuja, today (Monday).

Expected at the conference are 492 delegates, comprising the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, professional groups, political representatives, and civil society groups amongst others.

They will be deliberating on how to resolve the country’s constitutional challenges. The national conference, convened by the present government, is meant to address all matters except issues bothering on the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation.

The event, which will last for three months, is expected to form a consensus and advise the Federal Government on the legal framework procedures, options for integrating the decisions and outcome of the conference into the nation’s constitution. The conference will be chaired by retired Justice Idris Kutigi.

Delegates have started arriving at Abuja for the conference and one of them, a former Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Josephine Anenih, expressed optimism that the conference would help in advancing the cause of Nigeria as a united nation. “Nigeria as a nation will be better for it if delegates attending the conference approach issues with sincerity of purpose and an open mind,” Mrs Anenih said.
- ChannelsTV

After its first day of sitting dedicated to questions from delegates on procedural, sitting arrangements, logistics and similar issues, the National Conference on Tuesday adjourned till next Monday.

Justice Idris Kutigi, the Chairman of the Conference announced the adjournment of the Conference till next week.

In response to questions from delegates on the issue of procedure, Valerie Azinge, the Secretary of the Conference told delegates that the Conference will adopt rules and procedures that will guide its proceedings.

In case of presentation by groups or stakeholders, Azinge said the group will nominate a speaker that will make a presentation on its behalf who will be given ten minutes to make the presentations.

She added that the Conference will also accept papers and presentations from delegates. According to her, whatever position the Conference will take on any issue will be determined by the majority of the delegates.

In response to other questions, the Secretary said the question of the possibility of a new constitution coming out of the Conference is for the delegates to determine. She said government will determine the appropriate legal framework to accommodate such a constitution if the need arises.

She also told the delegates that agenda for the Conference will emerge when sitting begin next week. - PM News