Governor Pete Obi of Anambra State has said that the proposed national dialogue was very critical at the present stage of Nigeria’s development.

The leaders who met in Enugu on November 14 and December 12 to approve the Igbo position to the national conference after deliberating on the report of three committees, urged support for the dialogue because “we believe that the conference is one of the best things that have happened to Nigeria. The Igbo leaders of Thought therefore call on everyone to give it his/her support in order to ensure that the conference succeeds, and that it offers solution to Nigeria’s problems.”

What do you think informed the decision by the President to set up a committee to plan for a national conference?
It’s a very laudable decision. You see, in this country when you act they criticise you, you don’t act, they criticise you. This is a very harmless, progressive, forward looking decision. We cannot just sit down and want God to come and bring stability to the nation.

In my modalities, I have proposed that there should be a number of centers. One in Kaduna, one in Port Hacourt, one in Enugu, one in Ibadan, and one in Benin and another one in New York where the United Nations organsiation operate from. It is going to be the central place where all the information are coming from, all the processes of having a sovereign national conference is coming from.

Rt. Reverend Paul Udogu is the Bishop of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) Afikpo Diocese, Ebonyi State. In this interview the cleric bares his mind on key national issues in the country especially the proposed national dialogue, saying that ethnic nationalities must answer the question as to whether they still want to continue as a nation. EXCERPTS:

Remember that Ethiopia used to be a place where you find people who are malnourished, but now Ethiopia economy is one of the fastest growing economies because after so many years of fighting, they conveyed a national conference and they now have what is called ethnic federal system.

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.

FORMER Lagos State governor Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu(rtd) has called on Nigerians to ignore claims that the proposed National conference is being convened by President Goodluck Jonathan for political gains, saying that this is the right time to deliberate on the future of the country.

In the task before you, no voice is too small and no opinion is irrelevant. Thus, the views of the sceptics and those of the enthusiasts must be accommodated as you formulate this all important framework. This Conversation is a People’s Conversation and I urge you to formulate an all-inclusive process that protects the people’s interest.

President Goodluck Jonathan, Monday, inaugurated the 13-man Advisory Committee to establish modalities for a national conference aimed at resolving issues that currently cause friction in the polity.

THE Yoruba Unity Forum, YUF, Pro-National Conference Organisation, PRONACO, and the Nigeria Political Summit Group, NPSG, have commended the leadership of the Senate for its support for the convocation of a national conference to address the myriad of challenges besetting the country.

THE Uyo Confab ought then to have this present condition of the Nigeria society as the reference of all its deliberations.

THE Assembly described by the conveners of the confab on insecurity as the “national family meeting” was scheduled for July 2 and 3 at Uyo. It was also called a political summit on the future of Nigeria. The Vanguard Monday, June 24, 2013 titled its report thusly: