The first major
deadlock set in at the National Conference, yesterday, when delegates were
split over the clause stipulating that all decisions to be reached must be done
through consensus or a vote of 75 per cent majority.
Tension began to
rise when the chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi, attempted to overrule a delegate,
Chief Mike Ozekhome, who had called for the amendment of the provision to make
it possible for any decision to be arrived at through two thirds majority,
which he said was the same position with the constitution and global best
practices.
Ozekhome had
argued that it would be against the interest of natural justice and the nation
for major decisions to be decided by only a few persons at the confab, since
the meaning of 75 per cent was such that even if the delegates had up to 74.99
per cent, they could not change anything while a minority of 25 per cent of the
members could easily win over anything they decide on under the rule of
consensus.
The activist
lawyer pointed out that if the rule was allowed to stand, it would be
impossible for delegates representing local interests to influence the outcome
of any issue at the end of the confab, thereby defeating the purpose for which
they were nominated by their sponsors.
The Edo‑born
lawyer argued: “My Lord, I want to point out for your attention and that of the
delegates that a lot of very controversial and emotive issues will come up at
the conference since many of the delegates here represent local and community
interests.
“Under the
provision for 75 per cent for any dissenting voice to get anything done here,
it would be very difficult for anything to be achieved. We should, therefore,
go back to the normal practice of two-thirds majority when it comes to voting
on any matter.
“What this means
is that for any decision to be taken no fewer than 369 of the 492 delegates
must concur before such can be done. This is behemoth and extremely difficult
given our situation in this country.”
We can’t change
voting rule —Kutigi
Ozekhome had
hardly landed when Kutigi reminded him that the issue of consensus or 75 per
cent voting by the dissenting party had already been decided by Presidency and
that the matter had been closed.
He said: “We
cannot change the rule of voting which had already been decided by the
President, who set the tone for this conference; the issue has been closed.”
Delegates rise
against Kutigi
But many
delegates, among them, Oodua Peoples Congress’ Chief Ganiyu Adams, Professor
Auwalu Yadudu, Dr. Ahmadu Alli and elder statesman, Chief Ayo Adebanjo rose
against Kutigi, saying the rule should be amended to comply with the Nigerian
Constitution, which stipulates two-thirds majority for voting on any serious
matter before it becomes law.
Adebanjo said:
“Where in the world have you heard of 75 per cent voting majority in any
matter?
“We should not
isolate Nigeria when it comes to issues of very serious international and
national importance like this. We should go with the world and not play into
the hands of those who do not want Nigeria to work.
“Mr. Chairman, I
plead with you to go back to Mr. President and plead with him that the 75 per
cent or three quarters majority should be changed to two thirds majority as is
the case all over the world. We should not be given any condition that is
unattainable.”
75% strange, at
variance with constitution—Yadudu
Adding his voice
to the debate, Auwalu Yadudu, a professor of law, noted that the insertion of
the clause for 75 percent voting majority was quite strange and at variance
with the Nigerian constitution, which stipulates two thirds majority.
Yadudu said:
“This is the first time we are hearing of 75 per cent voting majority. If the
provision of the constitution is ignored, we can as well ignore the directive
by the President that the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria should
not be discussed at the conference.
Jimeta,
Adamu back 75% voting rule
However, former
Ambassador of Nigeria to the United States, Hassan Adamu and the former
Inspector General of Police, Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta, both from Adamawa State,
countered the protagonists of two thirds voting majority, saying Jonathan was
right in insisting on consensus or 75 per cent voting majority.
Despite the
attempt by Kutigi to rule that the matter had been closed, more dissenting
voices rented the air and he had to defer discussion on the issue as members
went on break at 2pm.
The confab
tactically deferred further discussion on the matter when it resumed at 4pm and
rather deliberated on other items listed on the order papers for adoption.
Delegates to
select chairmen, deputies for c’ttees
The delegates
also disagreed with the position that chairman and deputies of the committees
should be appointed by the principal officers and instead made it the duty of
members of the different committees to elect their leaders.
Split over hours
of sessions
The delegates
also had a tough time reaching a consensus on hours of the sessions. While some
delegates agreed with the status quo in the rules book of the conference
which provide for the sessions to run from 10 a.m to 6 p.m with two hours in
between for lunch, many others argued that the time was too much.
The idea
followed a motion by former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, who
suggested that the closing time should be fixed for 4 p.m and the lunch time
also reduced to one hour.
According to
him, the adjustment in time would enable the media ensure a better
coverage of the conference by filing their stories on time. Besides, he said
the idea will also enable delegates to have fruitful deliberations.
Former governor
of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, supported Osoba. In his contribution, he
said flexibility should be allowed to dominate the proceedings of the
conference.
“After lunch it
is bye, bye. We shouldn’t be rigid,” he said.
Chinedu Obasi,
representing students association from South East, also insisted on reducing
the break time.
But former
senate president in the aborted Third Republic, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, from Benue
State, disagreed with Osoba and Ezeife, saying the time provided in the Rules
Book should be left as it is.
Senator Adolphus
Wabara, another former Senate president and delegate from Abia State, also
argued that the time provided was enough, urging a clear demarcation between
the presiding officers and other principal officers.
“If quorum is
formed, we should demarcate between the presiding and the principal offers. The
time provided is enough,” he said.
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