Chairman and Deputy Chairman Deny Knowledge of Draft Constitution

The principal officers of the National Conference have denied the allegation by a national daily that the Deputy Chairman of the National Conference, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, is lobbying northern and southern delegates to accept a new draft constitution.

Raising a Point of Order immediately after the National Prayer, Mr. Is’haq Modibo Kawu, representing the Nigerian Guild of Editors calls the attention of the conference to a publication on Sunday’s and Monday’s editions of a national daily. The publication alleges that Prof. Akinyemi convenes a meeting with some northern delegates where he spoke of the need for them to accept a new draft constitution.

In view of the weighty nature of the allegation in the reports, Mr. Kawu challenges the conference Deputy Chairman to clear his name from the allegation. He argues that the conference was not convened to write a new constitution, rather to make recommendations. He says that the report alleges that the leadership of the conference is trying to “smuggle in” a draft constitution. According to Mr. Kawu, “This conference should not be part of any hidden agenda. If there is any issues that need to be tabled, it should be tabled and discussed.”

When the Deputy Chairman made attempt to reply the allegations, the Chairman of the National Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi requested that the issue be deferred until the time most of the delegates would have arrived.

When the issue was eventually re-opened after many of the delegates have arrived and adoption of the Votes and Proceedings of last week, Chief Sergeant Awuse argues that he sees no reason why the report of the newspaper should cause an uproar, saying newspaper reports are not a reliable source of information.

He alleges that as the conference is coming to an end; those who are not happy with the confab are finding ways to distract the attention of the conference from achieving its set objectives.

“In my opinion, we have come to the end of this conference. Enemy will be finding ways to distract this conference. We should disgrace them by ignoring them,” he submits.

In his own contribution, Chief Mike Ahamba alleges that those who are against the conference have decided to bring distrust between the delegates of the conference and the principal officers of the National Conference. “We have a duty to disappoint them.” He says.

He wonders how anybody can lobby on any issues that are yet to be tabled before the plenary of the national conference. “This assembly is too serious to be distracted. There is no reasonable person that can doubt the credibility of this table (principal officers). If anyone has been lobbied, let them stand up and tell us on what circumstances they have been lobbied.”

He calls on delegates to ignore the report of the newspaper and move on to the business of the day. “Our Deputy Chairman has nothing to answer. There is no allegation, only speculative statement.”

Dr. Haruna Yerima argues that there is no need to dismiss report of the national daily as irrelevant. He said the onus is on the Deputy Chairman to deny or affirm the content of the publication. According to Dr. Yerima, “Morality demands that the Deputy Chairman clears his name.”

At this point, the chairman of the conference calls on Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) to move a motion on the issue. In his prayer, Chief Ahamba argues that the publisher of the newspaper must apologise to the conference for the wrong information it has disseminated to the public.

While opposing Chief Ahamba’s motion, Senator Ken Nnamani representing Enugu State, moved a counter motion by calling on the Deputy Chairman to state his own side of the story. Senator Nnamani states that the Vice Chairman should be given the opportunity to clear his name over the issue.

Responding to the counter motion, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi states that the allegation is a simple matter for him to address. He tells delegates that since the beginning of the national conference, whenever he senses that there are conflicts emerging on any issue, he has taken the initiative in approaching both sides to find a compromise.

Prof. Akinyemi informs delegates that he only tried to mediate between delegates that are calling for a new constitution for Nigeria and those who are against the idea.

Throwing light on the controversial document, Chief Raymond Dokpesi informs delegates that it is absolutely true that he and Prof. Ibrahim Gambari convened a group called The National Consensus and Bridge Building Group, which has the objectives of dealing with contentious issues at the National Conference. According to Chief Dokpesi, membership was extended to as many delegates and groups as possible in the conference.

Chief Dokpesis reveals that from the various meetings they have been holding, it was glaring that there would be challenge with the three remaining committees’ report that are yet to be considered by the plenary.

He says that as a result of that, the group saw a need to find a consensus. Chief Dokpesi reveals further that his group nominated three delegates from the geo-political zone to serve as the convener.

Continuing, Chief Dokpesi reveals that the group discussed National Security and the contentious issue was State Police. The group, according to him, came to a conclusion that there is need for a multi-tier of policy in a federal system.

Chief Dokpesi further informs delegates that the group put on the table all the fears from different sides of the isle. They discussed electoral matters, political restructuring and devolution of power.

To underscore the neutrality of the principal officers of the National Conference, Chief Dokpesi declares that, “I want to affirm irrevocably that the leadership (of the National Conference) has nothing absolutely to do with this committee. This is a working document and not a final document.”

Chief Dokpesi reiterates that the leadership has nothing to do with the consultation and meetings being organised by his group. He states that the working document from his group is not a draft constitution as speculated.

Putting a lid on the controversy, the Chairman of the National Conference states that “Apart from the 20 committees that were officially set up, we have no other committee. We have nothing to do with the committee. The matter should be closed for now.”