the proposed national conference, declaring, however, that issues of indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation remains a no-go area.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, at a news conference in Abuja, said the conference must hold before the 2015 general election.
Anyim said the national conference, which was tentatively fixed to last for three months, would provide platform for Nigerians to discuss issues of their common existence.
According to him, "the national conference shall advise the government on the legal framework, procedures and options for integrating the decisions and outcomes of the national conference into the constitution and laws of the country."
He, however, warned that the conference would not discuss the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation, adding, therefore, that the unity of the country was non-negotiable.
He emphasised that decisions at the national conference would be by consensus, adding that where it was not achievable, it shall be by 75 per cent majority.
Anyim, who failed to give specific date for the inauguration of the conference, however, assured that everything would be concluded before actual activities for 2015 general election.
He explained that after due consideration, the government gave January 30 to February 20 for nomination of delegates, adding that the inauguration of the conference will follow immediately, after the delegate list was concluded.
He said the kick-off of the process of selection of delegates followed the submission to the Federal Government, the report by the presidential advisory committee on national dialogue.
Anyim was joined at briefing by the chairman of the committee, Senator Femi Okunronmu and secretary, Dr Akilu Indabawa.
President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to nominate no fewer than 60 participants, with at least one elder statesman from each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the conference, scheduled to take off in March.
The president would also nominate the chairman, deputy chairman and secretary of the conference, including women.
Also, 10 representatives of political parties with representatives in the National Assembly would be among the delegates.
The six geopolitical zone of the country, according to the breakdown, would produce 15 delegates each, totalling 90.
Governors of the 36 states of the country would have three slots each, making 108, with one delegate from the Federal Capital Territory, all totalling 109.
Further breakdown showed that retired military and security personnel would nominate 18; traditional rulers, 13; retired civil servants, six; trade unions, 24; organised private sector, eight; youth organisations, 18 and women groups having 24 slots.
Muslims leaders will have six slots; Christian leaders, six; civil societies, 24; Nigerians in diaspora, two each from Europe, Asia, America and Africa.
Also, people with disabilities would have six delegates; newspapers proprietors, two; Nigeria Guild of Editors, two; Nigeria Union of Journalists, two; Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, two; professional bodies, 13; former political office holders, 24; judiciary, six, while former local government chairmen would produce one from each geographical zone.
The SGF said only five political parties that had representation at the National Assembly, to wit, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party and Accord Party, were given consideration for delegate nominations.
He announced that after deliberations on the report of the committee, the government accepted that the official name of the conference shall be "the National Conference," to be held in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Meanwhile, details have emerged as to why the Federal Government rejected the option of subjecting the report of the conference to a referendum.
A source in the know said a committee looked into the proposal and concluded that that proposal would run into legal cul de sac.
According to the source, the plan to conduct a referendum at the end of the conference would mean that a legal framework had to be obtained from the National Assembly.
Confab: We are not concerned -APC
The APC, on Thursday, said the modalities for the forthcoming national conference were of no concern to it.
Its spokesperson, Lai Mohammed, reiterated the party's opposition to the exercise, insisting that nothing would come out of it at the end of the day.
When prodded on the possibility of the conference turning out positive, he maintained that whatever outcome would be of no concern to the party.
He refused to comment on the details contained in the modalities, saying the decision not to participate was final.
SOURCE: http://odili.net/news/source/2014/jan/31/613.html
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