As delegates to the National Conference prepare to debate the Report of
the Committee on Devolution of Power, which is expected to be presented at
plenary tomorrow, there are strong indications of a titanic battle over the 50
per cent derivation being canvassed for oil producing states.
The controversial demand is contained in a fake document entitled, “The
National Conference 2014: Terms of Agreement of the Six Geo-Political Zones in
Nigeria,” which was being sold to delegates at the conference.
The fake document is being peddled by some South-South delegates, many
of whom have spoken aggressively in favour of total resource control or robust
derivation for oil-producing states. Sunday Trust gathered that debates on the
report will take place on Monday and Tuesday while voting on the
recommendations and amendments may also take place on Tuesday.
The battle line would be drawn between the submissions by the relevant committee, which is said to have insisted that the 13 per cent derivation is enough for oil producing states, and the advocates of the fake report, which contains the 50 per cent derivation. Earlier Ms Ankio Briggs, a delegate from the Niger-Delta, had set the tone by proposing 50 percent derivation for oil producing states as contained in her minority report which was, however, rejected at plenary.
Although the leadership of the National Conference is said to be under intense pressure while horse trading by interested delegates had begun over the demand through, Sunday Trust checks indicated that it would be a tough battle during the debate on the matter as many delegates have vowed to kick against the demand.
Specifically, northern delegates at the weekend rejected the resolutions adopted by the conference, saying some of the controversial issues approved were literally lifted out of a document not prepared by a conference committee.
The Northern delegates under the auspices of Northern Delegates Forum (NDF) had agreed to reject the controversial resolutions and resolved to send a delegation to the conference’s Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi, even as they accused the conference secretariat of bias and “calculated plan to adopt all the recommendations made by Chief Raymond Dokpesi’s group’s ‘Terms of Agreement by Six-Geopolitical Zones’ document.”
Another delegate told our reporter that the South-South delegates might have felt cheated after the committees finished their work.
“They have the feeling that Northerners have the upper hands at committee level. That was why Ms Annkio Briggs submitted her personal report she called minority report on committee on devolution of power, where she was canvassing for 50 per cent derivation,” the delegate said.
He said in its effort to reclaim what they believed they lost at the plenary, the South-South people embarked on a serious campaign, lobbying Northern delegates, particularly those from the Middle Belt and other minorities, to endorse their positions at the plenary.
“What transpired last Thursday was one of the consequences of such intense lobbying on Northern delegates by the South-South. They have all the money to achieve anything. They engaged foreign consultants specifically for the conference.
“Again, they have the likes of Professor Jerry Gana to actualise their wishes. Already, there is an alliance between Middle Belt and the South-South zone. They capitalise on these and other factors to mount serious lobby for their 50 per cent derivation issue to sail through at the plenary. That is the position now,” the delegate said.
Barrister Festus Okoye, a delegate at the conference who disclosed to Sunday Trust in an interview that the report of the Committee on Devolution of Power will be presented for debate tomorrow (Monday) said: “As far as I am concerned, the issue of 50% derivation for any State cannot fly. States must develop in solidarity. In the context of equity and justice and in the spirit of fairness, the present derivation principle must be maintained. If the resources that go to the oil producing states are well applied, basic amenities will be provided for the people. Unfortunately, some of the resources are frittered away on irrelevances.”
Also, a delegate from the North-East, who spoke with Sunday Trust in confidence, vowed that northern delegates would resist what he termed ‘hidden amendments that were not discussed at the committee level. “We intend to discuss only issues that have been deliberated upon at the committee level; we are aware that the South-South, South-West and South-East who outnumber the north in terms of delegates have perfected to push for these hidden amendments, but anything short of what have been discussed at the committee level will make us stage a walk-out”, he said, adding that northern delegates would be meeting this night to come up with a position. While delegates from the North are 192, those from the South are 300.
Northern delegates are insisting that all major issues at the conference such as derivation, local governments, state creation must be subjected to ballot voting, not voice votes, Sunday Trust gathered last night.
A number of northern delegates who spoke to our reporter yesterday said Rule 10 of the Conference Rule of Procedure was “completely ignored and undermined” during the plenary last week. “What we are saying here is that matters of derivation, local government status, states creation, Land Use Act, among others are too germane and beyond the ritual of chorus of voices drowning other voices.
“Major decisions, the rule of proceedings, as the president clearly stated, must be by consensus and if there is no consensus, then there must be voting with 70 per cent majority,” one of the delegates said.
Another delegate who spoke to Sunday Trust said contrary to what some people might be saying, Northern delegates had earlier registered their opposition to voice voting by drawing the attention of the conference leadership to it. “About two months ago, we wrote a letter to the conference chairman raising our objection to voice voting. We clearly stated that it was against the conference rule of proceedings,” the delegate said.
He said “how can you create states, amend or write a new constitution by voice votes? It’s not possible.
We raised our opposition to this but the conference leadership ignored us.” But a lady delegate said the issue may be resolved. “We drew the attention of the leadership of the conference to the procedural blunder and it seemed to reason with us. But what the leadership does would determine our next line of action,” she said.
The battle line would be drawn between the submissions by the relevant committee, which is said to have insisted that the 13 per cent derivation is enough for oil producing states, and the advocates of the fake report, which contains the 50 per cent derivation. Earlier Ms Ankio Briggs, a delegate from the Niger-Delta, had set the tone by proposing 50 percent derivation for oil producing states as contained in her minority report which was, however, rejected at plenary.
Although the leadership of the National Conference is said to be under intense pressure while horse trading by interested delegates had begun over the demand through, Sunday Trust checks indicated that it would be a tough battle during the debate on the matter as many delegates have vowed to kick against the demand.
Specifically, northern delegates at the weekend rejected the resolutions adopted by the conference, saying some of the controversial issues approved were literally lifted out of a document not prepared by a conference committee.
The Northern delegates under the auspices of Northern Delegates Forum (NDF) had agreed to reject the controversial resolutions and resolved to send a delegation to the conference’s Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi, even as they accused the conference secretariat of bias and “calculated plan to adopt all the recommendations made by Chief Raymond Dokpesi’s group’s ‘Terms of Agreement by Six-Geopolitical Zones’ document.”
Another delegate told our reporter that the South-South delegates might have felt cheated after the committees finished their work.
“They have the feeling that Northerners have the upper hands at committee level. That was why Ms Annkio Briggs submitted her personal report she called minority report on committee on devolution of power, where she was canvassing for 50 per cent derivation,” the delegate said.
He said in its effort to reclaim what they believed they lost at the plenary, the South-South people embarked on a serious campaign, lobbying Northern delegates, particularly those from the Middle Belt and other minorities, to endorse their positions at the plenary.
“What transpired last Thursday was one of the consequences of such intense lobbying on Northern delegates by the South-South. They have all the money to achieve anything. They engaged foreign consultants specifically for the conference.
“Again, they have the likes of Professor Jerry Gana to actualise their wishes. Already, there is an alliance between Middle Belt and the South-South zone. They capitalise on these and other factors to mount serious lobby for their 50 per cent derivation issue to sail through at the plenary. That is the position now,” the delegate said.
Barrister Festus Okoye, a delegate at the conference who disclosed to Sunday Trust in an interview that the report of the Committee on Devolution of Power will be presented for debate tomorrow (Monday) said: “As far as I am concerned, the issue of 50% derivation for any State cannot fly. States must develop in solidarity. In the context of equity and justice and in the spirit of fairness, the present derivation principle must be maintained. If the resources that go to the oil producing states are well applied, basic amenities will be provided for the people. Unfortunately, some of the resources are frittered away on irrelevances.”
Also, a delegate from the North-East, who spoke with Sunday Trust in confidence, vowed that northern delegates would resist what he termed ‘hidden amendments that were not discussed at the committee level. “We intend to discuss only issues that have been deliberated upon at the committee level; we are aware that the South-South, South-West and South-East who outnumber the north in terms of delegates have perfected to push for these hidden amendments, but anything short of what have been discussed at the committee level will make us stage a walk-out”, he said, adding that northern delegates would be meeting this night to come up with a position. While delegates from the North are 192, those from the South are 300.
Northern delegates are insisting that all major issues at the conference such as derivation, local governments, state creation must be subjected to ballot voting, not voice votes, Sunday Trust gathered last night.
A number of northern delegates who spoke to our reporter yesterday said Rule 10 of the Conference Rule of Procedure was “completely ignored and undermined” during the plenary last week. “What we are saying here is that matters of derivation, local government status, states creation, Land Use Act, among others are too germane and beyond the ritual of chorus of voices drowning other voices.
“Major decisions, the rule of proceedings, as the president clearly stated, must be by consensus and if there is no consensus, then there must be voting with 70 per cent majority,” one of the delegates said.
Another delegate who spoke to Sunday Trust said contrary to what some people might be saying, Northern delegates had earlier registered their opposition to voice voting by drawing the attention of the conference leadership to it. “About two months ago, we wrote a letter to the conference chairman raising our objection to voice voting. We clearly stated that it was against the conference rule of proceedings,” the delegate said.
He said “how can you create states, amend or write a new constitution by voice votes? It’s not possible.
We raised our opposition to this but the conference leadership ignored us.” But a lady delegate said the issue may be resolved. “We drew the attention of the leadership of the conference to the procedural blunder and it seemed to reason with us. But what the leadership does would determine our next line of action,” she said.
She said the leadership admitted the procedural errors and the negation
of the cardinal principle of consensus or voting. She said the leadership
promised to look on some of these issues. Sunday Trust learned that the
northern delegates would likely meet tonight, where they expected to deliberate
on what to do next as the conference begin consideration of the contentious
report of the devolution of power committee.
Parts of the areas the Northern delegates are saying must be subjected to ballot voting include those on local government status, states creation, state police, among others.
It was learned that the Northern delegates are now busy consulting with various stakeholders and they will arrive at a final decision during a meeting tonight.
Parts of the areas the Northern delegates are saying must be subjected to ballot voting include those on local government status, states creation, state police, among others.
It was learned that the Northern delegates are now busy consulting with various stakeholders and they will arrive at a final decision during a meeting tonight.
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