LATEST: FG announce modalities for National conference.

FG announce modalities for National Conference; 492 delegates to attend The Federal Government on Thursday released the modalities for the nomination of delegates to the proposed national conference. The government, in a statement read to journalists by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said the conference, which would hold in the Federal Capital Territory ,would last for three months. Present at the media briefing were the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue, Senator Femi Okurounmu, and the Secretary, Dr. Akilu Indabawa. No fewer than 492 nominees are expected to participate in the conference whose full name shall be: “The National Conference.” Anyim, who was silent on the actual date for the take-off of the conference, said decisions reached by the delegates would be by consensus. He added that where consensus was not achievable, it would be by 75 per cent majority. Anyim said that the conference would advise the government on the legal framework, procedures and options for integrating its decisions and outcomes into the 1999 Constitution and other laws of the country. He said nomination of the delegates would commence on January 30, 2014 (yesterday) and end on February 20, 2014. The SGF also stated that the conference would discuss any subject matter, except the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation. He said, “You will recall that the President (Dr. Goodluck Jonathan) once stressed that ‘sitting down to talk is one right step in calming down tension and channelling our grievances, misgivings and suggestions into a more positive use for the good of our country.’ “The President also stated as well that ‘Nigerians are already talking about their national challenges through the print and electronic media.’ He observed that, ‘the only gap is that while these talks are sometimes weighty, they often lack direction.” Anyim pointed out that one of the objectives for setting up the Presidential committee was to lend weight and direction to the national conference. He said, “You may also recall that Mr. President had also allayed the fears of those who think the national conference will call the integrity of Nigeria into question. “This national conference will strengthen our union and address issues that are often on the front burner, but too frequently ignored. “Mr. President also once emphasised that ‘this is a national project, a sincere and fundamental undertaking, aimed at realistically examining and genuinely resolving, long-standing impediments to our cohesion and harmonious development as a truly united nation.”’ Modalities for the conference as outlined by the SGF include the nomination of 37 elder statesmen, one per state and the FCT by the President. The nominees will also include retired officers of the military, the police and the state security service from each of the nation’s six geopolitical zones. Other delegates will be traditional rulers (two per zone and one for the FCT), retired civil servants (one from each of the zones and the FCT), representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress , the Trade Union Congress and organised Private Sector. The NLC and TUC nominees must reflect geopolitical and gender balance. The OPS, including the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, will have two nominees each. The conference will have nominees from youth organisations with one each from the National Youth Council of Nigeria and the National Association of Nigerian Students. Women groups such as the National Council of Women Society, market women associations , the International Federation of Women Lawyers and the National Association of Women Journalists will also have representatives. Parties that have representation in the National Assembly will nominate two representatives each. Muslim and Christian leaders will have six representatives each; Civil Society Organisations, 24; Nigerians in Diaspora- Europe, America, Africa, Asia and Middle East, two from each location; People Living with Disabilities, one in each of the geopolitical zones; and the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, two. The Nigeria Guild of Editors, the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria will have two representatives each, while socio-political /cultural and ethnic nationality Groups will have 15 representatives from each geopolitical zone. Also, professional bodies like the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigeria Society of Engineers and the Nigerian Environmental Society will produce one delegate each. The Academy of Science, Engineering, Education, Letters and Social Sciences are to collectively nominate five delegates (one per academy.) Six persons in the Judiciary who are not currently serving on the Bench are to be nominated by the President. Also, former political office holders such as ex-governors and ex-national assembly members will be expected to produce delegates. While the Federal Government will nominate 20 delegates with at least six of them being women, state governments and the FCT administration will nominate 109 delegates with three coming from each state and one from the FCT. Also, former Local Government Area chairmen will nominate six delegates with one coming from each of the geo-political zones. The President is to nominate three delegates on behalf of the chairman, deputy chairman and secretary of the Presidential committee. Anyim said the list of nominees should be submitted either online to www.osgf.gov.ng or in hard copy to the Office of the Permanent Secretary (Special Duties) in his office. He added that a formal inauguration of the conference members would follow after their nominations had been received and collated.