…As President promises not to interfere

BY Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North, & DAPO AKINREFON

The proposal for President Goodluck Jonathan to nominate 120 of the delegates to the proposed national conference was, yesterday, flayed by some of the country’s leading pro-democracy figures.

Presidency officials were, however, mum on the proposals made by the Presidential Advisory Commi-ttee on National Dialogue.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan, yesterday, assured that he would not interfere in the proceedings of the national conference.

Receiving a delegation of leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the South-East geo-political zone at the Presidential Villa yesterday, President Jonathan also promised that the national conference would be conducted well ahead of the next round of general elections.

The Senator Femi Okurounmu-led Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue had in its report recommended that the president should nominate 120 delegates to the conference, which is expected to have between 500 and 700 delegates.

Reactions

Responding to the proposal yesterday, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, a stalwart of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, said: “It is a condemnable proposal.

“It shows that he is the one setting up the conference himself and not a conference of the people. He could send some people and not 120 persons. That is outrageous.”

Former Minister of Finance, Chief Olu Falae, said: “They are submitting their report on Wednesday (tomorrow). How can I be commenting on a report that has not been published? It is just a rumour.”

Former Minister of Petroleum, Professor Tam David-West, said the number of delegates to the conference “is too much.”

In a telephone chat with Vanguard, David-West also added that the six months time frame for the conference shows “they are not serious. It is not a serious and responsible thing to do.”

Jonathan’s promise

Meanwhile, the President said Nigerians would be allowed to drive the entire process to produce an acceptable outcome.

Jonathan said: “If you listen to the radio, watch television and read online, you will realise that Nigerians are talking. We listen and read the commentaries.

“But all the discussions and ideas need to be harmonised. We must come to a point where we can move in one direction.”

He assured that there was no need to worry about the time frame of the dialogue as the talks would be completed well ahead of the next general election in 2015.

Jonathan admitted that the committee on the national conference had since completed its nationwide consultation and would soon present its report to him.

The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey, congratulated the President for initiating the national dialogue.

He pledged the South-East’s support for the process and assured the President that Ndigbo will make meaningful contributions to move the country forward in unity.