By HENRY UMORU, JOSEPH VERUNKE & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

DELEGATES to the on- going National conference yesterday began discussions on the inaugural speech of President Goodluck Jonathan with the unity of the country, restructuring and true federalism in the front burner.

Soon after resumption from lunch break at 4 pm, the conference chairman Justice Idris Kutigi asked, “Distinguished Delegates, do we take that everybody wants to speak on Mr. President’s speech.”

There was a chorused “yes” from the floor, and the deliberations began, in alphabetical order with Dr. Garba Abari representing Yobe State setting the tone.

With two hours devoted for the exercise after lunch break to deliberate the  President’s inaugural speech of the conference,  a total number of 39 delegates out of the 491 spoke on the speech, just as speaker after speaker all hailed president Jonathan for his very well articulated, inspiring and inspirational speech.

Describing himself as a teacher, Abari who noted that Nigerians were more divided now than it was in the early days of independence, stressed that the country was on a steady downslide with massive unemployment, insecurity threatening the unity and cohesiveness of the country and questioned the role of the state in the development plan of the nation.

Accurate data

In her contribution, Prof. Laraba Gambo noted that with the discovery of oil, Nigeria as a country abandoned agriculture, thereby making the citizenry lazy.

Also contributing, Chris Agbonwanegbe, representing the South South Geo- Political Zone described Nigeria as being built on falsehood and warned that until we agree to follow the path of truth, Nigeria as a country cannot grow, adding that we must have accurate data of the nation’s success.

Also contributing, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar said, “Our problem is as a result of our economic misfortune. If we develop our economy very well, our challenges will be over.

Amb. Mumini Abubakar,AIG (rtd), who noted that lack of employment has caused the country problems being experienced in the security sector, however  called for job creation, saying such will tackle most of the problems in the country.

Elder James Achimugu, a delegate representing the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, opined that unless the conference tackled issues of religion and ethnicity, Nigeria’s problems would not change.

“We must frankly discuss religion. Government’s involvement in religious funding and practice is one of the major reasons for the problems we are facing today.”

On his part, National Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani Adams kicked against subjecting the outcome of the conference to ratification of the National Assembly. He, however, expressed fears that no positive achievement can be realised from such measure, just as he commended President Goodluck Jonathan for convening the conference.