ABUJA— AHEAD of the convocation of the proposed national conference by President Goodluck Jonathan, prominent leaders of the three zones in the southern part of the country under the aegis of Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNPA, yesterday, said that decisions of the conference must be subjected to a national referendum, just as it gave a time frame of nine months for the conference to be concluded. According to leaders of the assembly, delegates to the conference must not be more than 600, with each geo-political zone of the country producing 100 delegates each. They added that representation should be on the basis of equality of the geo-political zones — North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-West, South-East and South-South. Rising from a two-day meeting held at the Cross River Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, the leaders from South-South, South-West and South-East geo-political zones, however, warned that the outcome of decisions from the dialogue must not be subjected to a review or debate by both the National Assembly and the executive. In a communique signed by former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, former Federal Commissioner for Information and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, and retired Anglican Bishop of Akure Diocese, who is also the current Coordinating Chairman, SNPA, Rev. Emmanuel Bolanle Gbonigi, SNPA said: “The decisions of the conference shall be subjected to a national referendum and shall not be subjected to a review or debate by the National Assembly or any other body including the executives. “Upon approval by the people of Nigeria, the outcome becomes the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. According to SNPA, the entire process should end June 30, 2014. It said processing and work of conference, December 1, 2013 to April 30, 2014; preparation of a draft constitution May 1 to 31, 2014; and the referendum on new constitution will be from June 1 to 30, 2014. Roll call South-South representatives at the meeting were Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, Senator Bassey Henshaw, Air Vice Marshal Idongesit Nkanga (rtd), Alabo Graham Douglas, Dr. Bolere-Ketebu, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Nella Ewa and Ambassador Lawrence. From the South-East were Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Senator Chris Ukpabio, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Senator Sylvanus Ngele, Dr. Walter Ofonagoro, Professor Ihechukwu Madubuike, Dr. Ifedi Okewnna, and Chief Edozie Ezeugwa. South-West was represented by Bishop Emmanuel Bolanle Gbonigi, Senator Tony Adefu-ye, Emmanuel Adelano, Chief Dipo Jimilehin, Senator Kofo Bucknor-Akerele, Professor Ope Adekunle, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi and Moshood Salvador. vanguardngr/2013/11/confab-outcome-must-subject-referendum-ekwueme/
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 07:06:21 +0000
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