Good morning readers. We are here again at the National Judicial
Institute, venue of the National Conference. As promised, we are here to bring
you updates on what happens right inside the hallowed chamber.
16.05
Afternoon plenaries resumes with delegates taking their respective seats and in anticipation for another session of intriguing national debate. Stay with us as we bring you all the details.
14.10
Plenaries adjourns till 2 P.M
13.54
Olusegun Osoba, started his contribution by praying in Islam and then reverted to the Christian prayer by saying, “In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”
Mr. Osoba said he was out to preach for equity and peace. He said, “Governors are corrupt, but where are the contractors who got the contracts?. All the coups were planned by the military against the military and sponsored by contractors.” He said that civilians never orchestrated coups.
On the issue of rape, he said, “Mama Market, all those committing rape should be banned from holding public offices. We have already been castrated by nature”.
He said in the North, some of the states have been divided into three states while some of the places remained the way they have always been.
He ended his speech by May the grace of God and the Holly Spirit rest with you all now and forever. And the Chairman, called for Amen.
13.48
Ralph Osanaiye, a representative of retired police officers said insecurity started when government started giving security agencies obsolete equipment and tools. He blamed the political class for failing to fund security adequately, thereby openly creating opportunity to loot the country and cause instability. He said, “Mr. Chairman, they went ahead to remove the intelligence arm of the police and created the NSO. There is no police force that can perform well without a strong intelligence unit. They also removed the operations”.
13.44
Bede Opara said that the Federal Government has failed to pay PHCN long after the government said money had been released. He lamented that the situation was responsible for why many workers over-declare
their ages and would rather die in office. “Mr. Chairman, I want to say that if blue-blooded Nigerians are not punished for making the blood of other Nigerians red, we will continue to grapple with crisis,” he said.
13.42
Rose Onna spoke angrily against the huge funds wasted during the 2010 general elections. She noted that allowing presidential candidates to spend over one billion Naira during the 2010 election created room for monumental corruption in the electoral process. She said that the cost of running government in Nigeria was so high, saying that what the Presidency and the National Assembly used was higher than what was obtainable in any develop country.
13.39
Paul Omu said although the military has been blamed for the entire crisis in the country, he argued that all the regimes assisted by civilians. He said all the wars in the country have been caused by politicians and civilians. He said, “Mr. Chairman, 350 delegates have spoken in unison but that delegates should work towards on-bundling the constitution and the system of government in the country. I want to preach the gospel that there is enough for everybody’s needs in Nigeria.”
13.34
Amina Omoti, representing Muslim leaders joined other delegates in calling for fairness, equity and justice in the process of governance. She called for the tackling of corruption, national economy, structure of the government, resource control and local government autonomy. She said Muslim women are being molested everywhere especially section 38 empowers Nigerians to practice their religion. Said Children from Muslim children are forced to study Christianity in schools and prevented from learning Islamic religion.
13.28
Michael Olukoya, NLC representative said the foundation of the nation’s educational sector is faulty. He noted that majority of those in the hall benefited from public primary schools. He said, “Today, we have destroyed the public primary school. We have deprived the children of the poor the opportunity to go to school. In Benue teachers have been on strike for six months and nobody is talking. We now take our children to Ghana and other places. We have destroyed the schools where the poor of the poor are attending. Mr. Chairman, we must use this Conference to do something to change the way we run our primary schools which is the foundation of every form of education for our children.”
13.13
Johnson Oluata also said the problems of the country would be solved to a large extent, if corruption was tackled. He said as professionals, delegates should use their wealth of experience to proffer solutions to the nation’s many problems. He said the tax policy should be used to create jobs for youths and build a strong and vibrant economy. “We are not here to drink tea. We are professionals and we should use our expertise to help the nation solve some of its problems” he concluded.
13.12
Is-haq Oloyede said there was a possibility of politicians using the fault line to plunge the country into serious crisis. He said while Moslems will complain that there are minority in the Conference. He said out of Federal Government’s 26 nominees, 9 are from the South-South and that the ruling class was exploiting the people.
12.58
Ngozi Olejeme, a Federal Government delegate had called for the use of the Conference in shaping the destiny of Nigeria. “We must consciously identify things that would engender productiveness. The role of women and youths in nation building cannot be over-emphasized. I see a future were Nigerian women will be elected the president and governors.”
12.56
A delegate complained that the marginalization in the states was worse than what was happening at the federal level. He said that instead of building schools, governors use billions in security votes for frivolous things, saying running security votes is giving corruption a legal name. They decry the level of corruption in the country.
12.56
A delegate complained that the marginalization in the states was
worse than what was happening at the federal level. He said that instead of
building schools, governors use billions in security votes for frivolous
things, saying running security votes is giving corruption a legal name. They
decry the level of corruption in the country.
12.44
Kunle Oladije aligned with other speakers in calling for the
restructuring the country, he called for the return of the wealth of the
country to the people. He also called for the return to regionalism or a
modification of the presidential system to save the needs of the country. He
argued that the excessive money involved in politics was responsible for youth
restiveness in the country.
12.41
Olakunle Olaitan, a representative of the Trade Union Congress,
said the 2014 budget was being panel-beaten and that the economy of the country
worse than what they tell the public. He said if the Western economic formula
was not working for the country, market women and traders from Ariariah and
Onitsha markets to teach the economists how to run the economy.
12.24
Femi Okorumu, representing the South West, who headed the
advisory committee for the conference said that Nigeria has never harbored
liars, thieves and self-serving political leaders. He said the problems were
caused by the military that destroyed the fabric of national ethics and values.
Mr. Okorumu said the youths of the country are right to feel depressed and
angry over the situation in the country.
He said if the country must return to development, every traces
of military including the presidential system of government and the unitary
government that is being used in the place of federalism.
“It is only in Nigeria that people could be killed and their
farmland taken over by herdsmen” he said. He refereed to the situation in Agatu
Local Government Area of Benue State where herdsmen who have come to be
referred to as unknown gunmen have almost whipped out the indigenes.
He also called for the separation of religion and the state,
adding that religious worship places should not be located along highways, where
worshipers block other road users during times of worship.
12.15
Okuniyi Wale said the Conference should not be turned into a
workshop. He said the leadership of the Conference jumped the gun by setting up
committees without debating the President’s speech. He said that the agitation
of people of various parts of the country should be negotiated and settled. In
his words, “I want to appeal to you Mr. Chairman, we have a solemn task and I
want to beg of you that we use this opportunity very well and avoid rancor and
pettiness”.
12.12
Kate Ogbadike said since everybody live in a body, the body
theory should be used in building a united country. She advised that delegates
should work as the different parts of the body so that it would arrive at the
right decisions that would rebuild the country.
She called for restructuring of systems, to enable the enormous
resources of the country to be used for interest of the country.
12.10
Gabriel Okoye, representing Nigerians in the Diaspora said there
was no difference between those abroad and those back at home. “Every Nigerian
wants free and fair election to be conducted in the country”, he said. He said
a lot of them have written proposals for the development of the country’s
economy just for them to be thrown inside some shelve. He said it was not
possible to see Nigerians who would die for Nigeria but that Ibo people would
die for Igbo cause. “Fellow delegates, Diaspora or home-based, we are all the
same. We want the best the country,” he concluded.
12.06
Festus Okoye said, we should stop glamorizing the past as if the
past is anything to go about. He said delegates have been talking too greatly
about Obafemi Awolowo. Some delegates are displaced from their home due to
insurgency, kidnapping and armed robbery. He said some people go to their
villages but run back to sleep in hotels because of fear. He said these happen
because Nigeria failed to develop a comprehensive security plan.
11.36
Ike Nwachukwu reacted to the allegation that he flogged a woman
when he was military governor of Imo State.
In humility and clear expression of decorum, Mr. Nwachukwu said
he comes from a family where people don’t raise their hands on women. He said
he also has a strong military background where officers and men don’t raise
their hands against women. Having occupied several positions in the Army, he
argued that he has never raised his hands against any woman. He said he gave
instructions for a commissioner to lock out late comers but never took it
beyond that. “I have never raised my hands on any woman and will never do. This
is to let all the women here and outside know that I am their very good friend
and cannot do anything to hurt them. I just wanted to clear the air on the
matter before the press takes it out of proportion.”
11.35
The rules of proceedings of the previous sitting has been
adopted by the Conference.
10.58
Done with the announcement and comments and all the fretting
about the media, the Conference has moved on to discuss the vote of the
previous proceedings.
10.55
A female member suggested that the Conference starts meeting in
an executive session where journalists will be cleared from the chamber for
delegates to discuss freely and without fear of such issues being blown out of
proportion.
10.52
Chairman of the Conference, Idris Kutigi said the secretariat
should ensure that all payments to delegates go with relevant pay slips.
10.51
Welcome again the hallowed chamber of the National Conference.
The plenary session has just started.
After the opening prayer, delegates were allowed to make complains and comment
on issues affecting them. The issue of allowance was raised by one of the
delegates but another immediately countered and asked that his colleague should
be careful about discussing issues pertaining to welfare to avoid the press
blowing the matter up.
Leader of the defunct Niger-Delta People’s Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujahedeen Asari Dokubo has frowned at the recent comment by First Lady, Patience Jonathan that she would ensure Nyesom Wike become the next governor of Rivers State.
