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FG Inaugurates Political Reforms Panel
From Josephine Lohor in Abuja, 12.08.2004
President Olusegun Oba-sanjo has inaugurated an eight-member Committee on Political Reforms which is expected to produce a background paper that would ultimately lead to the setting up of a national body that would work out "a sound political agenda" for the country. The President, while inaugurating the committee chaired by the Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, said the proposed national body "will reflect the various social forces and interests, community interests and political tendencies within the nation." Obasanjo noted that he was "convinced that the time has come for us to take a critical look at our political framework and practices so as to consolidate democracy, facilitate good governance, promote development with social justice and ensure peace and stability under the rule of law." While stating that it was "interesting and worthy of note that some political parties have begun the process of reform within their own parties," the President said reforms that he envisages must achieve the following: • Deepen, widen and strengthen the structures, institutions, principles and processes of democratic good governance. • Produce, through a review of the 1999 Constitution, a sound, relevant, coherent, consistent and well-articulated constitution that would strengthen national unity and stability, promote democracy, facilitate good governance and ensure human rights within the rule of law with citizen's obligations. • Refine the electoral system for the purpose of ensuring the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections that are cost-effective and ensure level-playing ground for all political competitions; • Build highly principled, sharply focused, well-organised, effectively-managed, value-orientend and disciplined political parties to sustain democracy. • Provide a harmonious system of checks and balances based on the separation of powers, with transparency, integrity and accountability. • Mobilise and transform civil society into viable organisations that are relevant and responsive to the needs of the nation within the cultural milieu of our society. Obasanjo told the committee which has Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, Professor Jerry Gana, Governor Segun Agagu of Ondo State, Professor A.D. Yahaya, Minister of Communication, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Professor Okwudiba Nnoli and Professor Joy Ogwu as members, that the background paper it is expected to submit on Friday, December 31, 2004 should contain ideas on the transformation of political parties into "viable instruments capable of deepening the content of the our democratic values and nation-building process." Obasanjo also charged the committee to examine: • The process of constitutional reforms, taking into consideration the on-going exercise at the executive and legislative levels; • How to thoroughly refine the electoral system so as to ensure credible elections, with substantial reduction of cost of elections to both the government and individual contestants; • How to strengthen neutrality and independence of electoral commission; • How to effect judicial reforms in order to promote quick dispensation of justice, with fairness, equity, and integrity; • How to effect vital reforms of the structure of governance, and relationships between the various organs and tiers of government, so as to producee rapid development and service delivery with efficiency, effectiveness and transparency; • How to effectively deal with the hydra-headed issue of corruption at all levels and in all shapes and forms nationally; • How to reorientate Nigerians from politics of patronage and materialism to politics of service. • How to ensure that politically elected officials and political appointees are held accountable for corruption and criminal offences while still in office; • How to inculcate enduring values and virtues in the Nigerian society; • Any other important issues that would contribute immensely to good governance, human rights and social justice, and sustenance of unity, stability, security, democracy and development at all levels of governance and throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria. Chairman of the committee, Makarfi in his brief remarks after the inauguration, said that the committee would work tirelessly and give its best by producing the paper which the larger community would be very proud of. He added that the committee has also been given the mandate to provide guidelines for the selection of participants and delegates to the broader committee. Makarfi also said that the committee would in no way concern itself with extension of Obasanjo tenure as such a decision would require the National Assembly amending the constitution. There has been widespread speculations that the committee was set-up to make it possible for Obasanjo to have a third term.
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