As President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated the national conference in Abuja on Monday, the National Traders and Market Leaders Council of Nigeria, NTMLCN, has said that all delegates except one representing market men and women at the all important gathering are not its members.
President of the council, Mrs. Adenike Lawal told newsmen in Abuja that apart from Mrs. Felicia Sani, who is the chairperson of Abuja market leaders, the delegates were not the true representatives of the authentic market men and women in the country.
Mrs. Lawal, therefore, urged the presidency to correct the anomaly on time, saying the outcome of the conference could not be binding on them if deaf ears were turned to their calls for correction as done before the inauguration.
According to her, the council had through its lawyer forwarded the real list of authentic members to the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, OSGF, but wondered why it was ignored or necessary action was not taken.
While emphasising the role of market men and women in nation building, she particularly urged President Jonathan to quickly consult widely with relevant groups with a view to collating additional list that would include authentic members of her council.
She maintained that failure to heed their advice would render the outcome of the conference, especially on market men and women, defective.
President Goodluck Jonathan had during the inauguration of the national conference called for spirit of oneness and unity amongst the different peoples in the country.
He said the conference would serve to provide a platform where Nigerians bare their minds on a number of issues which would seek to advance togetherness in the country.
“This conference is open for us to table our thoughts and positions on issues, and make recommendations that will advance our togetherness.
“The issues range from form of government, structures of government, devolution of powers, revenue sharing, resource control, state and local government creation, boundary adjustment, state police and fiscal federalism, to local government elections, indigeneship, gender equality and children’s rights, amongst others.
“There should be no room for divisive cleavages and ethnic jingoism. There should be no room for selfish considerations that defeat the purpose of national progress. There should be room only for the national interest”, Jonathan added.
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