S/West, S/South leaders meet Jonathan, demand national conference

Posted by admin Latest Politics, South-South, South-West Thursday, February 16th, 2012

LEADERS of the South-West and South-South geopolitical zones of the country on Wednesday met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja, and demanded the convening of a national conference, where the various components of the country would have the opportunity to reach a consensus on the terms of their union in an indivisible Nigeria.

But the president has asserted that the Presidential Committee on Outstanding Constitutional Issues, headed by Justice Alfa Belgore, would bring up areas of national consensus from the 2006 National Political Reform Conference for the National Assembly’s consideration towards effecting constitutional amendments.

He, however, left a window open for a larger body to meet in future, should there be other controversial issues to resolve.

The meeting took place behind closed doors at the First Lady’s Wing of the Presidential Villa, but leaders of both delegations, Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi and Chief Edwin Clark, of South-West and South-South respectively, who spoke with State House correspondents, revealed that the convening of a national conference was one of the issues discussed with Jonathan.

In his address which was made available to newsmen, Gbonigi noted that the vast majority of Nigerians were demanding for a new constitution, which made a national dialogue imperative, saying that the transformation agenda of the administration could not succeed unless it was predicated on a stable and secure polity, with happy and contented citizens.

According to him, “In the absence of these, no agenda can succeed, no matter how laudable. And to achieve peace and stability, there must be justice and equity. The 1999 Constitution is neither just nor equitable to the overwhelming majority of Nigerians; neither does it promote development and good governance.

“The vast majority of our people are demanding a new constitution, which will be of their own making. The changes required to the 1999 Constitution cannot be effected through the processes of the legislature alone, because they are fundamental and extensive.”

The South-West leaders also raised the issue of marginalisation of the region in the present administration, though it applauded the effort of Jonathan in supporting the candidacy of Mulikat Adeola-Akande as the speaker of the House of Representatives.

“We appreciate that you threw your weight on the side of gender and ethnic equity by supporting the candidacy of Honourable Mulikat Adeola-Akande. Unfortunately, however, the conflict resolved itself in government order of precedence,” he said.

He added that “much as we are discomfited by this development, we actually sympathise with you, knowing that it was not your wish to have things that way. All the same, we hope that as president, you will use your considerable powers to apply the soothing balm to the understandably hurt sensitivities of our people, to calm the frayed nerves and the increasingly loud murmurs of discontent emanating from them.”

The leaders lamented the meagre presence of Yoruba in key positions in the presidency and the upper cadres of career and political appointments, including the headship of major federal parastatal agencies.

In his remarks to reporters, Chief Clark also reiterated the need for a national conference, saying that they had discussed with the president on the need for the different ethnic nationalities to discuss their existence within one Nigeria.

He said the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) had been dissolved, adding that militants still active in the area were members of the late John Togo group, who initially refused to embrace the amnesty programme.

In a statement released after the meeting, the president said the Justice Belgore committee was set up in recognition of the demands by Nigerians for a constitutional amendment, to bring up all those issues which have been agreed upon at previous national conferences for presentation as bills to the National Assembly and subsequent passage into law.

Jonathan told the elders that government would strengthen the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police, to ensure that people were not unduly exposed to corruptive influences.

The president said the probe into the oil subsidy regime had exposed the fact that continued subsidy in the petroleum sector was a catalyst for agencies of corruption.

Some of the dignitaries present at the meeting were Chief Clark; Dr Tokunbo Dosumu Awo-lowo; Olorogun Felix Ibru; General Oladipo Diya; Chief Olu Falae; Colonel Tunde Akogun; Alabo Graham Douglas; Mike Okiro; Senator Femi Okunronmu; Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi; Chief Ebenezer Babatope; Dr Frederick Faseun; King E.D. Minoji XII, Aman-yanambo of Nembe; General Tony Etukudo; Chief Dipo Jimilehin; Chief Ekpanika; General Mujakpero, Orodje of Okpe; Professor A.O. Afolabi; Senator Tony Adefuye; Jimoh Ibrahim; Professor Tunde Adeni-ran; Dr Kunle Lajide; Senator Akerele-Bucknor; Edidem E.O. Abas Otu V, Obong of Calabar and Chief Abiola Ogundokun

-Tribunewp_posts