Lagos –  Some politicians on Thursday in Lagos urged members of the National Advisory Committee on the planned national conference to be open and patriotic in the discharge of their duties.

The politicians, who spoke, noted that efficient handling of the assignment would determine the success of the conference.

President Goodluck Jonathan had on Oct. 1 in his Independence Day broadcast announced the government’s endorsement of the conference and the setting up of the committee.

The 13-member committee, chaired by a former senator, Dr Femi Okurounmu, was inaugurated on Monday with a charge to draw up modalities for the staging of the national dialogue.

Prof. Oluremi Sonaiya, the National Public Relations Officer of KOWA Party, said:“ Committee members are expected to demonstrate a high degree of honesty and sincerity in the whole exercise.
“There should not be promotion of any sectional agenda, there should also be an understanding of issues and a rational approach should be adopted in performing the task.’’

In his comment, a former Deputy National Chairman, Alliance for Democracy (AD), Alhaji Musa Umar, urged the committee members to propose to the government on how to stabilise the polity.

“I expect them to advise President Jonathan on whether the conference should hold or not before the 2015 general elections and on other issues.’’

Also speaking, Mr Sam Onimisi, a former National Publicity Secretary of the deregistered Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA), suggested that far-reaching recommendations should be made to the government on critical issues.

He said:“I expect them to recommend issues like geo-political zones, true federalism among others for discussion at the dialogue.’’
Similarly, Chief Ajibade Emi-Abatta, erstwhile Chairman of the defunct Congress for Democratic Change (CPC) in Lagos State, endorsed the conference, but advised that it should be an open one.

“Let it be open, let everybody come and talk. From there, we will now pick issues that can bring us together.”(NAN)