The Chairman of the National Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi (rtd), on Wednesday adjourned plenary until Thursday, to enable delegates to “cross-check and point out any errors” in the final report scheduled to be adopted.
Kutigi, before the adjournment, also defended the draft constitution produced by the secretariat, saying it was the amendments proposed by the delegates.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the chairman, in his remarks at the resumed plenary, absolved conference leadership of any hidden agenda over the draft constitution.
Apologising to delegates over the prolonged adjournment of plenary, Kutigi explained that it was due to the large volume of the report to be produced by the secretariat.
“You have now been given the report with the constitution and amendments proposed by you. I repeat, amendments proposed by you.
“Everything we did was done with the best of our ability and intentions but we are human beings and we are not perfect.
“We have made the reports available to you; so if you have any doubt, you can cross-check and raise the issues.
“Let me repeat, we prepared the reports with the best of intention and if there is any mistake, they are human errors,” Kutigi said.
After the adoption of the minute of the last sitting in July, Kutigi said the leadership wanted delegates to consider the final report without much controversy.
He advised any delegate that noticed any error to send it to the secretariat for tabulation on Wednesday.
“Since everybody has the report, everybody should write what should be corrected, cite the page, print the error out and bring it to the secretariat and we shall tabulate it.
“For that reason, we shall be suspending this session for delegates to put forward their corrections and we shall resume after lunch.
“After lunch, I shall also meet with the leaders of the geo-political zones and groups,” he said.
NAN reports that Kutigi’s announcement was greeted with applause from delegates who, however, opposed to resuming plenary after lunch but canvassed for Thursday morning.
“Okay. You want it (resumption) tomorrow? Okay. That will even allow the secretariat to tidy up the corrections.
“That will also enable me to meet leaders of each group at the Deputy Secretary’s office now.”