Some Northern leaders have rejected the implementation of the 2014 report of the National Conference convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan. The said key issues affecting the region were not addressed and that President Muhammadu Buhari should put together a fresh conference that would put Northern plight into proper perspective.
The northern leaders, mostly former political office holders under the aegis of Northern Reawakening Forum (NRF) and headed by a former member of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Kumalia, warned Buhari against implementing the report.
Curiously, the NRF Chairman, Kumalia and some members of the forum took part in the National Conference.
Rising from a meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, Kumalia who from a communiqué on behalf of the NRF, said: “The last conference was convened by the PDP government. You do not expect this government to take hook, line and sinker what was put in place by the last government.
“It was convoked by the PDP government and unfortunately, the PDP lost election. You do not expect the opposition to accept the resolution of the previous government which has its own objectives which this government is not aware of.”
NRF said the call for a new conference became necessary to wholly address how to rebuild the North and cater for those who have been displaced by Boko Haram.
Kumalia stated further: “What are the problems in the North East? Has anybody tried to ascertain the problems in the North East? The essence of the national conference is to analyse the extent of damage done to the North East.
“The working document would be used to rebuild the region. There is no resemblance between the conference we are proposing and the 2014 National Conference. Many things have been destroyed and we need people with experience to discuss how the area will be settled,” he said.
“The North has the highest number of people below $2.00 a day. 71.5% of the population in the North East live in poverty and more than half are malnourished. A 2013 World Bank Report showed that poverty in 16 out of the 19 Northern states have doubled since 1980.
“The north has the lowest literacy rate in the country. Lagos is at 92% , Kano 49% and Borno less than 15%. 65% of Northern girls and 53% of boys are not in school compared to only 20% for the Southeast,”
But responding, Godwin Uwazuruike, President of Aka-Ikenga, who was a delegate at the national conference insisted that the Kumalia group was not speaking for the North.
“They are not speaking for the North or northern leaders. They are speaking for themselves. At the national conference we had a similar incident where some people came and addressed a press conference.
Similarly, National President of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shettima described the action as deceitful.
“They (northern leaders) must take responsibility because in the first place, some of us were against the conference. Why did they participate in the conference when they know they will reject the recommendations of the report?
“They cannot attend the conference at the expense of taxpayers and thereafter distance themselves from it. I see that as deceit, they must take responsibility.” Also reacting, Otunba Gani Adams, National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) told DAILY POST that the rejection is “uncalled for, unwarranted and condemnable”
“This is not only an attempt to overheat the polity, it is also politically-motivate,” Adams, who is in Cote d’Ivoire, told our correspondent in a phone interview. “The conference had over 490 delegates and these were prominent personalities who gave their time, energy and thorough contribution.”
“Those asking for another conference should be informed that a national conference is not a party; it is not an event meant to be organised every year.
“Before the one of last year, we had one in 2005, 1996 (constitutional conference), 1979 and 1963.
“Most of the 2014 resolutions were accepted by more than 95 per cent of delegates. The only contentious issue that we didn’t really finalise was that of derivation formula also called resource control, which we agreed that the presidency use its wisdom to act upon.
“So those calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to ignore the recommendations should go through again and study carefully.
Citing an example, Adams said the issue of special courts was adopted by the conference.
“It seems the current administration has keyed into the idea of special court to try corruption cases; this is a sign the confab was a success.
“I have been saying this and will continue to: The only way we can move forward in Nigeria is to adopt the 2014 National Conference convened by President Goodluck Jonathan.”
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