FG Release Names of National Conference Advisory Committee Members

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the membership and terms of reference of the Federal Government’s Advisory Committee on National Dialogue/ Conference.

A terse statement  on Tuesday night in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, named a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, as one of the 13 members of the  committee headed by Senator Femi Okurounmu.

Others are  Dr. Akilu Indabawa,Secretary; a former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Prof. George Obiozor; Senator Khairat Gwadabe; Senator Timothy Adudu, Col. Tony Nyiam (retd), Prof. Funke Adebayo,  Dr.  Mairo  Amshi,  Dr. Abubakar Sadiq, Alhaji Dauda Birma, Mallam Buhari Bello and Mr. Tony Uranta.

The committee which has one month within which to conclude its assignment, will be inaugurated by Jonathan  at the State House on   October 7.

The committee’s terms of reference are:  consult expeditiously with all relevant stakeholders with a view to drawing up a feasible agenda for the proposed national dialogue/conference;   make recommendations to government on structure and modalities for the proposed national dialogue/conference;  and  make recommendations on how representation of various interest groups at the national dialogue/conference will be determined.

It is also to   advise the government on a time frame for the national dialogue/conference;  its  legal framework,   legal procedures and options for integrating decisions and outcomes of the national   conference into the constitution; and advise the government on    any other matters that may be related or incidental to the  conference.

Jonathan had in his Independence Day broadcast on Tuesday,  said he decided to set up  the  advisory committee   to establish the modalities for the  national dialogue or conference.

 “I expect the report to be ready in one month, following which the nation will be briefed on the nomenclature, structure and modalities of the dialogue/ conference,” he had  added.