Confab: Ex-Lawmaker Urges Delegates To Discuss Freely

A former member of the
House of Representatives, Chief Mao Ohuabunwa, has urged Nigerians to freely discuss issues concerning the corporate existence of the nation at the upcoming National Conference.
Ohuabunwa, who represented Ohafia/Arochukwu Federal Constituency, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Umuahia recently.
He was reacting to the proviso by the Federal Government that there would be  “no go areas’’ at the conference.
“Definitely, you cannot gag the people, if you want them to talk, allow them to talk freely.
“There should not be any clause like ‘no go area’, there shouldn’t be any restrictions.
“The important thing would be the decision or resolution that was taken at the end of the conference.
“It is the resolution or decision of the conference that should go to the National Assembly (NASS).
“But if there is no resolution of the conference on any issue, to that extent, that issue is dead.’’
Ohuabunwa enjoined Nigerians to be optimistic and confident about the conference and expressed the hope that “there will be light at the end of the tunnel.
“This is the first time that democracy has endured for this long in this country.
“People should not despair; we should not write off ourselves by comparing our democracy with advanced democracy in the United States, which is 200 years and above, and ours is just 14 years.’’
He, however, advocated the devolution of power between the centre and the federating states, saying that power should devolve from the centre to the states.
The former lawmaker argued that the powers of the Federal Government should be limited to Foreign Affairs, Security, Defence, Central Bank and a few others.
Ohuabunwa said that the states should take care of water resources, agriculture, health and education, among others.
He also canvassed for the enthronement of true federalism in the country, where the states should pay royalty to the centre rather than depend on the centre for allocation.
“This will make us active and look inward on how to harness the resources God has given to us,’’ Ohuabunwa said.
He also expressed the need for Nigeria to enthrone fiscal federalism, especially in the revenue sharing formula in order to ensure ‘’equity, fairness, and justice’’ for peace existence.
Ohuabunwa, who was a former deputy leader of the House of Representatives, advised that the resolution of the national conference must be submitted to the National Assembly for ratification ‘’in order to have the force of law.’’