By Ishola Balogun & Ebun Sessou

It is no doubt that there is need for a dialogue on the way forward for Nigeria but, as much as the idea of conference is widely accepted, some Nigerians don’t believe in the arrangement. In these interviews with renown lawyer and activist, Prof Itse Sagay, SAN, and Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, opinions differ on the whole arrangement and essence of the dialogue. Sagay speaks first.

Many people believe the proposed National Conference is an idea that will lead to nowhere.  Do you share that perspective?

I don’t agree with that notion and, I think, it is a wrong attitude. As much as one cannot guarantee that it will lead to the objectives that we are all hoping for, yet, it is not enough reason to isolate ourselves from it because it is an opportunity for us to meet together to resolve some major problems that are hindering inter-community, harmony, development and generally the progress of the country or things that would further threaten the existence of the country. This is an opportunity to iron them out and map out a new way forward. Therefore, we must be optimistic and not cynical. We must go into it with opened mind and the intention of achieving the result. But, if we are frustrated at the end, then we will say, we have tried.

Sagay, SAN

Those who are cynical believe that government is only trying to save its face from the myriads of criticism it has had to contend with

It is possible. But for me, motive is not important in this matter. Rather, it is opportunity that is important. Motive may not be right but it provides an opportunity for this country to move forward. Personally, I am not ready to be going into possible analysis of what motivated the President after rejecting the idea not so long ago. But, I think, it is a positive development we should take advantage of and try to bring it to an outcome that can salvage this country from the verge of disintegration.

In your own opinion, how do you think, the Confab can be achieved?

For any Nigerian who has the interest of the country at heart, who is not selfish and does not have a private agenda which is more important to him than the interest of the whole country, for any such person, the major objective is to get a final establishment of true federalism and a way of achieving it by hammering out a constitution that would reflect true federalism and have it approved by a referendum of Nigerian people.

People believe that the National Assembly is also saddled with responsibility especially when it comes to the issue of national conference; what is their role in all of these?

There are two levels of constitutional review as we have found out. There are certain issues that are beyond the National Assembly. But when we are talking of a fundamental basis which means a total constitutional revolution, the National Assembly is not equipped for this. That is something that has to go outside National Assembly and must be endorsed by the Nigerian people. The national conference is a total overhauling so that what is going to come out is a new thing and not anywhere relating to the present constitution. Only the people’s representation will then be endorsed by the national referendum.

There are insinuations that it would lead to disintegration?

I don’t know why people say that. If people are inclined to leave, it is not the National Conference that will stop them. I think, if there is no conference, we will all break up. But, the conference will probably be looking into how people would live in harmony. The clinching is too harsh such that some few persons in Abuja are sucking all the resources and dishing what they like to the federating unit. The federating unit created the centre and the entity that relates to the people and humanity is the state.

The centre is a coordinator for things that have to be done in general including foreign affairs, defense, security, currency, immigration, customs among a few others. Unfortunately, everywhere is failing and because of the amount that has soaked up, everybody is killing each other. And that is the essence of the new PDP and the old PDP. When the North says it is its turn to control the country, it only means that, it is my time to come and control the Niger Delta’s petroleum. We have a federal government that is giving little to the states at the end of the month which is a great tragedy. The state supposed to be autonomous.

So, it means if the conference cannot resolve the issue of federalism, it has failed?

It has failed miserably and the country cannot survive it. The state should be able to meet the demands of the citizens. The federal government cannot develop the country because it does not have the capacity to do so. I am saying that the national conference will achieve its rightful purpose because it is our last chance.

Nobody should take Jonathan seriously—Ikuforiji

What is your opinion about the proposed conference?

It is a good idea to have a National Conference but one is worried over the sudden change of mind of President Goodluck Jonathan. He was never in support of National Conference initially. Just barely 14 months to another general election, he started showing interest.

To have a conference to decide on the future of a local government takes decisive approach not alone having a National Conference.

The question then is, how visible is it to convene different groups in the country together under 14 months to a general election, when will the campaign for a general election start? How many months are we going to spend on this, when would we start the national conference, when would it come to an end and when will the President implement the solutions.

If the President is serious about it, he should have supported it since 2011 especially when he assumed office. At that time, he had enough time to think about a national conference and give us a direction and we would have felt that he was sincere. But, with the way it is now and the development in the camp of the so-called biggest party in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I don’t think anybody in the nation will take the presidency seriously.

But, some people say it doesn’t matter even if it causes a delay in the election.

I don’t think that is democratic, there should be no delay in the general election. I believe, nobody is thinking of elongating the tenure of the present administration across the nation. It is important that we have a new government in May 29, 2015 in Abuja and in most of the states.

So,  you think the PDP crisis would hamper the essence of the conference?

It is not only the disarray in the PDP that would hamper the essence of the national conference, the truth is that the leadership had failed overtime and it is now disastrous to hear that the same government that had failed to support national conference at first has just decided to organise national conference at the tail of its administration.

How many Nigerians trust Nigerian government or believe any of their pronouncements especially when it comes to important subjects. A good scenario is the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway that has taken years to construct. Many serious leaders across the world have built thousands of kilometers of roads within the same period, unfortunately, it has been impossible for Nigerian government to construct a 100 kilometre of road.

A lot of money has been pumped into security, it seems it is paying off, what do you think?

The first thing to know is if there is any sector of our national life that is properly crafted.  If we are to mention the amount of money pumped into security, what do you say about lots of monies pumped into energy generation, yet nothing has come out of it. Don’t forget the volume of money that has gone into oil production, yet nothing has come out of it. It is quite devastating that we seek medical assistance in other countries. People prefer to go South Africa or fly to Europe to treat headache. There are lots of monies pumped into health sector in the national budget, yet we are still lagging behind.

We have failed ourselves and all what we need is to come together and think of the way forward for the nation.

It is not only the leadership that should be blamed but everybody. Nigerians are not ready to be responsive to things around them. It is a national problem, we have bad orientation, we need to retrace our steps, we need to go back to our roots, and do something about the way we think, sleep, talk, walk, everything needs to be changed, when we do that, things will be better.

It wouldn’t be too early to know your ambition for 2015 in Lagos State?

When I left the United States of America to come and contest election in 2003, my priority was to be the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. Interestingly, I ran a campaign for another person to become the Speaker because I felt it was not my time but before the end of that tenure and as it was designed by God Himself, I became the Speaker of the House.

I am grateful to God that I was not Speaker on June 2, 2003 but I became Speaker when it pleased Him and I have been Speaker since 2005 till today, which is a feat that has never been achieved by anyone in this state. You will also agree with me that what God has done for Lagos State as far as the legislative arm is concerned cannot be quantified. So, I am optimistic that when the time comes, the Almighty God will show the light and direct me on what to do. No matter the noise, plot, coup and counter coup, what God has planned for me, no man can stop it.