The National Conference officially ended its plenary on Thursday
amidst solidarity songs by delegates who adopted its final report.
Thursday’s plenary drew the curtains on the almost five-month conference
which was characterised by heated debates, political maneuvering and caucus
meetings by various interest groups.
President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated the conference on March 17,
2014.
The peaceful end to the conference came as a surprise to many as
northern delegates who had maintained a hard stance on some aspects of the
report, , especially the ‘draft constitution, participated fully in adopting
the document .
The opinion during the plenary was that the
political maneuvering by the Chairman of the conference, Justice Idris Kutigi ,
made the angry delegates to sheath their swords.
Sources said that Kutigi had meetings with the leaders of the various
zones on Wednesday where several issues were addressed.
One of the sources said it was during the meetings that a decision was
reached that a motion should be moved at the plenary to change the title of one
of the volumes of the reports from ‘draft constitution” to “ proposed
amendments to the 1999 Constitution.”
At the plenary on Thursday, a delegate from Yobe State, Alhaji Maina
Waziri, therefore moved the motion for this correction.
Waziri’s motion read, “To cultivate a conducive environment for
delegates to validate and adopt the final report of the conference, we the
undersigned delegates, hereby offer and endorse the following observations and
recommendation that seek to facilitate the process and lead to amicable ending
of the conference proceedings.
“We note that the secretariat of the conference on August 11, 2014
tabled before delegates a draft report contained in three volumes that are
broken down in seven chapters
“In particular, we observed that volume III titled draft constitution,
conveys an attempt to insert various resolutions and recommendations of a
constitutional nature that were adopted by the conference as proposed
amendments to the appropriate sections of the constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
“We recall and welcome the clarification and confirmation offered by
conference chairman at plenary on August 13, 2014 that indeed Volume III
contains proposals for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution.
“We urge the leadership of the conference, in collating the final
report, to more appropriately designate Volume 111 as: Draft Proposals to Amend
the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
“Furthermore, we note and welcome the amenability of the conference
secretariat to entertain suggestions from the delegates that point out any
specific error to misrepresentation of decisions taken or resolutions adopted by
the conference and/or any inadvertent failure to incorporate same in the draft
report.
“We are aware that delegates have responded to this call and submitted
to the Secretariat their various observations and suggested amendments to the
draft.
“In preparing the final report, we urged the conference secretariat to
keep faith with and reflect fully and accurately all resolutions and
recommendations accepted by the conference and as contained in votes and
preceding that were formally adopted.
“Subject to the acceptance of the foregoing understanding, assurances
and conditions and in accordance with the Procedure Rules, 2014 of the
conference, we move for the validation and adoption of the draft reports
contained in volume 1,2 and 3 without further debate.
“In the spirit of the consensus building cultivated by members and to
maintain the bridges built during the currency of the conference, we urge all
delegates to subscribe to this plea.”
The motion, when put to voice vote separately by the chairman received a
unanimous acceptance by the delegates.
Another motion had earlier been moved to “mandate the secretariat to vet
and effect amendment” to the three reports prepared by the secretariat.
The motion was sponsored by Chief Jerry Okwuonu and a former Governor of
Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili.
The motion says, “Whereas the secretariat has done a very marvelous job
of compiling the report of the Conference and presenting same to us in easily
readable and cross-checkable format; and
“Whereas delegates have perused all the reports and submitted in writing
all items of omission or incorrect addition to the final report; and
“Bearing in mind the dual necessity of bringing the conference to a
close for purposes of not unduly over-reaching the logistics provision of the
conference and not unnecessarily prolonging the continued conglomeration of
people in contradiction to the prescription of Health Authorities especially as
the country tackles the Ebola crisis.
“It is hereby moved that the secretariat be mandated to vet all the
written submission by delegates and make necessary correction thereby providing
the final draft of the Conference reports”.
After the adoption of these motions, the delegates spontaneously stood
up and enthusiastically sang the old National Anthem “Nigeria We Hail Thee”.
The chairman then called on Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) to formally
move a motion for the adoption of the final conference report.
Akinjide, while moving the motion, said it was an honour to be called
upon to move a motion for the adoption of the final report of a “very
successful conference”.
The youngest delegate to the Conference, 24-year old Miss Yadoma
Mandara, seconded the motion.
Shortly after, delgates took turns to pour encomium on the leadership of
the conference for their maturity in steering the conference proceedings.
Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah gave the vote of
thanks which received spontaneous applause from delegates.
A delegate representing the South-South, Mr. Orok Duke, read out a
farewell poem titled “How Can We Say Farewell,” to the delegates.
After adoption of Votes and Proceedings for the day based on a motion by
Josephine Anenih and seconded by Dr. Bello Mohammed, Kutigi called on the
Lamido Adamawa, Alhaji Mohammed Mustapha, to move a motion for the closure of
the conference.
Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), who seconded the motion, said Thursday was a
day of pride and honour because “when we came here, nobody expected us to end
this conference. We have disappointed skeptics.”The final draft of the report is expected to be submitted to the President on August 21st 2014.