- Row over Referendum
- Expunge order gagging press
Another rowdy session was witnessed yesterday at the National Conference as delegates engaged in free for all fight over the adoption of 75 percent or three quarter(3/4) votes to pass resolution on issues during plenary of the conference as some delegates insisted on two third (2/3 )majority votes.
Recall that chairman of the conference, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi had in the course of the debate on Monday reminded delegates that the framers of the draft procedure rules Order 11- voting stipulates that in case of failure to reach resolution on the matter by consensus, it shall be decided by vote of three quarter majority and the matter was left un resolved till yesterday.
Speaking on Order 11 Rule 2, Obong Victor Attah said in case of failure to reach a matter by consensus the draft rule is silent on whether the matter shall be decided on the three-quarter of delegates sitting and voting or the entire delegate membership.
He added that two-third has always guided decisions in Nigeria and appealed to the delegates to go back to the time honoured two-third method in Nigeria.
He argued that since the accepted norm in deciding key elective positions and other voting procedures in the country is hinged on two third majorities, the conference should adopt same.
His comments elicited wide response of both ‘yes’ and ‘no’.
Also national chairman of the Labour party Chief Dan Nwanyanwu who represents the party at the conference vehemently opposed the adoption of 75 percent saying it was dictatorial and only adopted by the military and as such should not be used in arriving at resolutions of the conference.
He quickly moved a motion on the matter seeking support for ¾ voting system which was seriously opposed to and perhaps in anger engaged a fellow delegate Mamman Nasir in fisticuffs calling each other enemy of this country thereby throwing the entire conference into pandemonium and it took the intervention of chairperson of Market women leaders Mrs Felicia Sanni to separate the two delegates from harming each other.
When delegates could not agree on the issue, Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark suggested that the chairman should divide the conference and allow the delegates to vote to resolve the issue.
His suggestion was rejected by some opposing delegates, including Dr. Bello Mohammed who said the conference is not all about majority and minority.
To quell the situation the chairman could not contend with, the Vice chairman Prof Bolaji Akinyemi started shouting on members to be orderly in their conduct until the situation was normalized.
On resumption of proceedings the chairman called for debate on the rest of the Orders but to the great surprise of observers to the proceedings, Order 13(rule 111) on the resolution of the conference which included forwarding the Final Report of the conference to National Assembly as subject of referendum some members vehemently opposed the idea saying it should rather be thrown open to Nigerians and committed to a referendum.
In his submission against the Order representative of former LGA chairmen, Chief Shola Ebiseeni argued that since the conference was set up to draft a new constitution for Nigeria and the citizens have lost confidence in the National Assembly it was no use submitting the resolutions /Report of the conference to the parliament for a referendum.
Also Sir Olaniwun Ajayi noted that since the conference was given the mandate to re-write the wrongs of the past if the resolutions of the conference are subjected to the approval of National Assembly for a referendum it would be an effort in futility. He further called for expunging of Order 13 (rule 3) or an amendment to read submitting the Report to Nigerians for a referendum.
A number of other speakers toed the line of the Ebiseeni and Ajayi just as former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani rose up to disabuse the minds of delegates from arrogating to themselves the constitutional powers of the National Assembly to make laws reminding his colleagues that they were not there as elected representatives of the people and as such cannot overthrow the decision of Mr. President to commit the resolutions of the conference to National Assembly for a referendum.
According to him,” We are not elected to amend the constitution. Let us limit ourselves to the terms of reference.”
Also Dr magaji Dambata backed the submission of Senator Nnamani saying the conference has no legal backing and has no constitutional right to impose its decisions on Nigerians and as such is only an advisory body to the Executive.
The matter was subsequently put to vote by the chairman and majority voted for the retention of the Order as it is.
Another area of interest was Order 14 (Rule 7) which stipulates conditions for registering journalists to cover the conference and restrictions on accompanying it.
Publisher of THISDAY Newspaper and representative of Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Mr Nduka Obaigbena urged the conference to expunge the rule reporting proceedings which he considered, unfair ,offensive and not true reflection of what transpired saying that journalists are at liberty to tell Nigerians everything about the conference unhindered.
His motion enjoyed majority support and the aspect that deals with gagging the media from freedom of expression was deleted leaving the second leg that has to do with registration of media houses was retained
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