Renowned lawyer and former Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing
Alhaji Femi Okunnu (SAN) and former Lagos State Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice Supo Sasore (SAN) are two of the six delegates to
represent Lagos State at the proposed National Conference.
Others are Prof. Tunde Samuel; Mrs. Funmilayo Bashorun; Mr. Waheed Ayeni
and Mr. Rabiu Oluwa.
The delegates were received yesterday by Governor Babatunde Fashola at
the State House in Alausa, Ikeja.
Fashola said the state would present its positions on issues affecting
it and the country strongly at the conference with a view to getting solutions
to them.
He said the state’s positions on the review of the revenue sharing
formula, creation of state police and special status for the state, if
considered, would impact positively on the state and promote national
development.
Fashola said he had strong belief in the delegates’ ability to
“deliver”, describing them as “accomplished Nigerians, who have contributed
immensely to the country’s development”.
He said: “I am confident that they will do their best with their
knowledge and disposition. I doubt if we can have a better set of people than
this. Our position in the Southwest is to allow our people who want to express
themselves to do so. This will be different from what the political tendencies
will be.
“As I have said, without trying to prejudge what your recommendation will
be, there are positions that we agitated for earlier. They were contained in
the material prepared and presented at the reform conference during former
President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. These and the report that
emanated from the conference will serve as resource materials for the
committee.
“Very soon, committees from other states will contact you to see areas
of common interest, which can later be translated into national interest and
presented at the conference.”
Speaking for the delegates, Okunnu thanked the government for finding
them worthy and pledged to justify the confidence reposed in them.
He listed the state’s position at the conference during Obasanjo’s
administration as independent candidacy, true federalism and a review of the revenue
allocation formula.
Okunnu said: “The grey areas where I hope we will have the opportunity
to discuss the position of Lagos State are: Revenue allocation, this is very
central to Lagos, and the recognition of independent candidates in elections. I
believe that if anyone chooses not to belong to any political party, he or she
can contest election and can be voted for. We had it in Nigeria before. It was
the modern system that wiped it out. We are not starting afresh; this country
has its foundations.
“The exclusive legislative list has been growing yearly and there is
need to revisit some of the key things in it. For instance, housing is a
residual structure, but the agitation from Nigerians made it a federal
structure. Land is also a residual structure. They are not in the exclusive
list but I know the military acquired the power and took away the residual
power of the state. It was restored, but the application of the constitution
has not made it work effectively.”
Okunnu said the team would interact with delegates from other Southwest
states to forge a common position at the conference, which begins in March.
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Politics