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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Govt plans national dialogue, Enahoro, The Patriots meet
THE Federal Government will soon convene a dialogue session among Nigeria's various ethnic nationalities, according to the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Professor Jerry Gana.
Gana, a former Minister of Information and National Orientation, also disclosed that the Presidency is considering dumping the nation's present three-tier system of government for a four-tier system to bring development to the grassroots.
He made the disclosure in Ibadan, Oyo State at the weekend during the 60th birthday celebration of veteran journalist and eminent politician, Dr. Yemi Farounbi.
As Gana spoke in Ibadan, some leading campaigners for the convocation of a national conference were in Lagos perfecting strategies for the smooth holding of a similar session.
Elder statesman, Chief Anthony Enahoro, representing the pro-national conference organisation met with The Patriots, a group of influential Nigerians, to work out arrangements for the convocation of the conference. The meeting was held at the chambers of Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade (FRA) Williams, who is also the chairman of The Patriots.
Gana, a former Minister of Information and National Orientation, also announced plans by the government to embark on electoral and political reforms before year 2007.
He said there was need to dialogue on the problems facing the country to evolve ways of solving them.
Gana said: "When people sit down to discuss, they understand each other, identify the problems and how to go about solving them. A roundtable conference will enable the various ethnic groups to set their priorities."
On the proposed reform of the electoral system, Gana stressed that the move was necessary to ensure "balance in the various structures.
"I want to emphasise the need for some electoral, constitutional and political reforms. Whenever we may deem it necessary to restructure the Federal Republic of Nigeria for balance is imperative," he said.
The presidential aide added: "There is the necessity of Nigerians sitting down in a national conference to dialogue which is essential."
Gana hinted that he is working with the Special Adviser to the President on Constitutional Matters, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, on how to fashion out modalities for the conduct of the conference.
The former minister who opposed a "Sovereign National Conference (SNC)" said that it would not be possible because there is a government in place.
He, however, admitted that it is proper for Nigerians to come together to discuss how they should be governed and address the imbalance in the polity.
He revealed that a four-tier system of government was being proposed for the country. If endorsed, Nigeria will have a federal, state, local council and development areas to be supervised by the councils.
The four-tier system, Gana argued, would bring development to the grassroots.
While lamenting the incessant killings in the Niger-Delta, Gana said that the crisis had international connection.
He asserted that there is a body of oil speculators who want to make money from prices of oil, declaring that "the same people are causing trouble with international financing.
"We are facing a serious problem of international manipulations to localise our problem for some people to make gains. We stand the risk of being dragged into serious conflict internationally because of oil," Gana said.
The presidential aide sued for peace among the warring groups in the area. He also appealed to the state governors in the Niger-Delta region to use the resources at their disposal to transform their states and the people.
Turning to the celebrant, Gana said he is an epitome of integrity and a fountain of knowledge.
He added that Farounbi is a great pillar in the family of Nigerian progressives and a role model for several young people, especially in the media.
Present at the occasion held at the Banquet Hall of the Premier Hotel Ibadan where the governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, his Oyo State counterpart, Rashidi Ladoja, former Works and Housing Minister, Abdulkareem Adisa, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Vice Chairman (South), Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, the South-West PDP vice chairman, Chief Olabode George, Deputy Governor of Osun State, Erelu Olusola Obada and the Secretary to the Osun State Government, Chief Fatai Akinbade.
Others were the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Iyiola Matanmi, Timi of Ede, Oba Tijani Oyewusi and the Aloko of Iloko-Ijesha, Oba Oladele Olashore, among others.
In a statement after the meeting in Chief Williams Chambers, The Patriots reiterated its support for the convocation of a national conference. It asked non-governmental organisations to sponsor a national conference since the Federal Government is opposed to it.
The statement signed by Williams read: "At a meeting of The Patriots held on October 3, 2004 in the Chambers of Chief Rotimi Williams, Chief Anthony Enahoro on behalf of the organisations interested in the convocation of a national conference presented proposals for a meeting of organisations to form a planning committee to plan for the convocation of a national conference.
"The meeting, extensively canvassed the need for non-governmental organisations to sponsor a national conference because of the deteriorating situation in the country and the failure of the Federal Government to sponsor such a conference.
"The Patriots received the invitation to join in establishing planning committee with very keen interest and agreed to communicate their decision on the invitation later.
"The Patriots at the meeting reiterated its commitment to the concept of a national conference", Williams stated.
Those who attended the meeting besides Williams and Enahoro, were Chief Rueben Fasoranti, the acting leaders of the Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Ganiyu Dawodu, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi and Prof. Alfred Ilehnre, among others.
For about 10 years now, the issue of the convocation of a SNC, or a Conference of Nigerian Nationalities, has dominated political discuss in the country.
It began with a Movement for National Reformation (MNR) document released by Enahoro in 1991, and reached a crescendo during the Abacha regime of 1993-1998.
More recently, calls for it have risen to new heights under the Obasanjo administration, an indication that all is still not well with our polity, despite our current civilian dispensation.
Thus, a number of individuals have been consistent throughout in calling for the SNC as a precursor to the formulation of a "popular" national constitution (popular in the sense of "approved via referendum", and hence owned by the people it governs) that will lead to a re-structured, truly and fiscally federal union called Nigeria.
There are various strong official forces against the SNC in Nigeria. Those who are in favour of retaining the status quo and know that a successful outcome of an SNC might upturn the apple cart, seem not well disposed to it and in fact work hard against it. Those who believe that they have already gotten what they might have wanted from the SNC see no reason why they should give others that advantage. So, why would they bother about an SNC to give others what they pine for?
There are others who are deeply suspicious of the hidden agenda of those who vociferously are for the SNC, believing that it is the first bus stop to secession in the country.
The Obasanjo administration - or more accurately, President Olusegun Obasanjo himself, despite earlier support for it before assuming the Presidency, has expressed deep opposition to the confab, claiming that the executive and the national legislature are in place to do what the SNC would do, and that there cannot be "two sovereigns" in a country.
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