By Henry Umoru, Joseph Erunke & Levinus Nwabughiogu

Ray Ekpu, one of the founders of Newswatch Magazine bares his mind on his expectations from the conference. Excerpts

WHAT is your impression about the way the confab is going?

I am not surprised at what we are seeing, in a gathering like this, we should expect situations like these. Even in the Abacha conference, somebody went and stood behind Chief Alex Ekwueme and said I am standing behind you, speak on, speak.

So, these things do happen,  but at the end of the day, they try and patch up things because you are dealing with diversity of people from different parts of the country, with different backgrounds, of different interest. But I believe that at the end of the day, the prevailing interest should be national interest, national unity.

You can see the diversity playing out here, the views of different people from different parts of the country. That is why we have this problem with the voting system, whether it should be three quarter, two-third or even a simple majority. But I am sure that the wise men that they have selected to meet might be able to find an answer to this.

Which voting system would you prefer?

Well, you see, it was actually a surprise for me to see three-quarter because I have never heard any arrangement in this country or anywhere else where people talk about three-quarter. I am familiar with two-third. If you want to be a governor, if you want to be a president, the constitution talks about two-third and it seems a reasonable number.

Two-third is 66% of the population you are dealing with. 75% is quite on the high side. People who are pushing for 75% are quoting the president that the president wanted consensus and that if we cannot get consensus, we should use a figure that is close to a consensus, which they think means 100 percent. I believe that the president meant well when he was talking about consensus because if you are able to arrive at some consensus, it is good for the country. But in the absence of lack of ability to arrive at consensus, you must make do with what you can get.

This conference, I must tell you is not going to resolve all the problems of Nigeria. Far from it. It may be able to resolve some of the problems.

Let’s take this opportunity to unite — Sen Danjuma

ARE we expecting a new Nigeria from this?

I suppose so for a change. But donft forget whatever we deliberate here will go to the National Assembly. I hope it sails through in that place, so I donft know yet. But I hope it does. But at least the basic thing is that Nigerians will know the views and everybody has the opportunity of saying what their people want here.

Even if it is taken, made into a law or it is approved at the end of the day, people will know your views and what people from the grassroots feel.  So if you feel you have been marginalized, you have the opportunity to say so. People have fought for Sovereign National Conferences, minority conferences and they have always wanted this, now, for a change it is happening. All they want is what they think will make Nigeria better.

So letfs hear everybody out and see the way forward and how we can work together as a nation, how we can live that is unity in diversity. How we can incorporate our multi-social, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious society. But whatever we do, the basic thing is the rule of law is what will guide us for us to succeed.