President Umaru Yar’Adua’s electoral reform is set for examination in the United States on October 1.

The American audience will listen to the critics of the reform and a Federal Government delegation.

The two parties have confirmed their readiness to appear at a forum being organised by the Change Nigeria Project Incorporated.

According to a letter of invitation obtained from a source in The Presidency, the event will hold at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Auditorium in Washington D.C.

As a mark of its commitment to removing electoral flaws, President Umaru Yar’Adua had in 2007 inaugurated an Electoral Reform Committee (ERC), which was headed by Justice Muhammadu Uwais (rtd).

The ERC submitted its report to the President in December, last year, after "considering 1,466 memoranda and holding public hearings in 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at which no less than 907 representations were made.

But the review of the ERC’s report by the Federal Executive Council has been widely criticised by many Nigerians, especially the opposition.

The Federal Government has also stuck to its right to review the ERC report, fuelling international interest in the debate.

It was learnt that the October 1 debate is organised by Change Nigeria Project Incorporated, in conjunction with the House Committee on Diaspora, to enable the international community feel the pulse of the reform debate in Nigeria.

Findings revealed that some of the speakers will also talk on the Niger Delta, Diaspora Voting Rights and the Role of Diaspora in Nation Building.

Some eminent Nigerians slated to speak are Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka; former Chief Justice of Nigeria Muhammadu Uwais; Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State; President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN); former President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani; former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai.

Others are Vice-President of the World Bank, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, Chairman of the House Committee on Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Ledum Mitte, and a delegation of the Federal Government, including the Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Chief Mike Aondoakaa (SAN); and the Minister of Niger Delta, Obong Ufot Ekaette.

With the exception of Soyinka, Uwais, Nnamani, and Akeredolu, all other speakers have confirmed their preparedness to participate at the forum.

One of the letters, signed by the Secretary of Change Nigeria Project, Somi Obozuwa, said the forum is designed to "galvanise Nigerians on the imperative of nation-building which goal cannot be accomplished without an attitudinal change that ushers in good governance at all levels of our society".

"This is to be followed by question-and-answer session by the audience."

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that there are reservations in the Presidency over the likelihood of Ribadu and el-Rufai using the forum to launch propaganda against the Federal Government.

A source said: "While it is true that Aondoakaa and Ekaette have confirmed plans to attend the session, the government is weighing the security implications.

"We knew what these people did to influence the opinion of the US Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, on Yar’Adua’s administration. We are suspicious that the forum might be hijacked to run down this administration.

"In any case, we still have less than two weeks to the debate. We hope there will be fairness.President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration has nothing to hide but it is unfortunate that some people with hidden agenda have been running down the government abroad."

i can't wait . . . . .!!!!!!

this will be good to see how it comes out

lol