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Still On National Confab

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Since the return of civil
rule in 1999, pro-democracy groups in Nigeria have been clamouring for a Sovereign National Conference where the various ethnic nationalities that make up the Nigerian state will be given the opportunity to  re-negotiate their stake in the Nigeria project for their collective well-being. Both past and present administrations had been vehement in their opposition to the idea of convoking a Sovereign National Conference, basically to justify the nation’s representative democracy  and the “indispensable” services being rendered by those at the helm of affairs. The National Assembly in particular had been very vociferous in opposing the idea and was never comfortable   whenever such matter was being raised by members of the public. In 2012 the National Assembly had this to say.
“Talking about Sovereign National Conference now looks like going back to the days of tribal champions. It is like going backwards. For us, it is not just  because we are sitting here (in National Assembly), but  we are moving forward the fragile democracy.
“A Sovereign conference is suitable for countries that are coming out of war and not Nigeria. We believe that rather than solving the problems, the Sovereign National Conference will end up creating more problems for us.
“They should believe in National Assembly. They are talking about the constitution but there is no way the constitution will be perfect. But since we are in the process of reviewing and amending the constitution, let them take advantage of the exercise and present their grievances and proposals to the National Assembly, so that it could be taken care of”.
In order not to upset the apple cart President Goodluck Jonathan was supportive of the position of the National Assembly. Hear him:
“In recognition of the demands by Nigerians for a constitutional amendment, we set up the Justice Belgore Committee to bring up all those issues which have been agreed upon at previous National Conferences, for presentations as bills to the National Assembly and subsequent passage into law, while a larger body will meet on issues that are still controversial for a national consensus.
“The committee will bring up areas of national consensus from 2006 National  Political Reform Conference for National Assembly’s consideration towards effecting constitutional amendments.”
Speaking at the annual national conference of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Calabar in August this year, the Senate President, David Mark, re-affirmed the position of the National Assembly  on Sovereign National Assembly. Hear him:
“The National Assembly recognizes the right of Nigerians to aggregate, assemble or meet in any legitimate form or manner to discuss the affairs of their country and  indeed encourages such fora as it is a constitutional right. A mark of such encouragement is the elaborate public hearings that have become part of our constitutional amendment process. We however, have difficulties with the calls by certain sections of the party for a Sovereign  National Conference.
“The 1999 constitution (as amended) with all its imperfections, including its debatable origin, remains our grundnorm, our supreme law from which all other laws derive and express our sovereignty. It creates all the powers, institutions and authorities of the state to which we have all submitted. We have challenged its provisions in courts of law established by it and obeyed the decisions of the courts.
“We have therefore ratified the constitution by our conduct. The 1999 constitution (as amended) is a reality.
Consequently, where will the Sovereign National Conference be convoked and by whom and under what terms? I have been confronted by the argument that sovereignty derives from and belongs to the people. How then do we get the people to confer sovereignty on such a conference?
“These are intractable issues to be addressed by the agitations for Sovereign National Conference and that is why I subscribe to the proposal for an amendment to the 1999 constitution to provide for the making of a new constitution.”\
Surprisingly, President Jonathan, while playing host recently to a political pressure group, The Patriots, led by Professor Ben Nwabueze expressed support for the convocation of a conference for ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.
“It is time to have a conference but the limitation we have is that the constitution appears to have given that responsibility to the National Assembly.
“I have also been discussing the matter with the leadership of the National Assembly. We want a situation where everyone will key into the process and agree on the way forward.
However, Nigerians were stunned and dumbfounded when the Senate President, David Mark recoiled from his hard stance to lend weight to the convocation of national conference. His volte-face came barely a month after he had attended the NBA conference in Calabar where he reiterated the position of the National Assembly on the matter. Hear Senator Mark at the resumption of the Senate from annual recess on September 17 this year:
“We live in very precarious times and in a world increasingly made fluid and toxic by strange ideologies and violent tendencies, all of which currently conspire to question the very idea of the Nigerian state. But that is not to say that the nation should  like the proverbial ostrich, continue to bury its head in the sand and refuse to confront the perceived or alleged structural distortions which have bred discontentment and alienation in some quarters. This sense of discontentment and alienation has fuelled extremism, apathy and even predictions of catastrophy for our dear nation.
“A conference of Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities called to foster frank and open discussions of national question, can certainly find accommodation  in the extant provision of the 1999 constitution which guarantees freedom of expression and of association. To that extent it is welcome.
“But be that as it may, such a conference if and whenever convened should have only a few red lines, chief among which would be dismemberment of the country. Beyond that every other question would be open to deliberations.
“However, I hasten to add that it would be unconstitutional to clothe such a conference with constituent or sovereign power. But the resolution of a national conference, consisting of Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities and called under the auspices of government of the federation will indeed carry tremendous weight.
“And the National Assembly, consisting of elected representatives of the Nigerian people, though not constitutionally bound by such resolutions will be hard put to ignore them in continuing the task of constitution review. But to circumvent the constitution and its provisions on how to amend it and repose sovereignty in an unpredictable mass will be too risky a gamble and may ultimately do great disservice to the idea of one Nigeria,”
Could it be that President Jonathan eventually persuaded the senate president to have a rethink in the interest of the nation? But one thing is instructive: they only gave their consent to the convocation of national conference and not sovereign conference.
Political pundits are of the view that the presidency and the National Assembly are merely playing to the gallery in view of the 2015 general elections and the wave of political crisis pervading the nation. While it is too early to put to question the sincerity of the leadership of this great nation on the matter Nigerians would be gladdened if at the end of the day the resources expended on the convocation of the national conference would be justified.

 

Reward Akwu

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Kwankwaso Agrees To Rejoin APC, Gives Terms, Conditions

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The 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has given terms and conditions to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sen. Kwankwaso, while addressing a gathering at his Kano residence, said any political alliance must recognise and respect the interests of his party and political movement.

The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.

In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.

“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.

“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.

“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.

“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.

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I Would Have Gotten Third Term If I Wanted – Obasanjo 

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.

Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.

“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.

Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.

“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.

He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”

On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.

Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.

He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.

He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.

“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.

“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.

“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”

The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.

 

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Rivers Assembly Resumes Sitting After Six-Month Suspension

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The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.

President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.

The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.

The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.

Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.

The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.

However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.

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