The release of the modalities for the National Conference by the Federal Government has elicited mixed reactions from lawmakers and party chieftains.
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While some viewed the modalities for the confab as timely others said that it was ill-timed.
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The Federal Government in a statement on Jan.30, 2014 released the modalities for the national conference to be held in the FCT.
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The lawmakers made the remarks in separate interviews in Abuja on Friday.
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Rep. Saviour Udoh (PDP-Akwa Ibom) said the modalities for the conference were in order, adding that the unity of Nigeria was not negotiable.
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He said that whatever decisions taken at the conference should be forwarded to the National Assembly for ratification and also included in the constitution. Rep. Ife-Oluwa Arowosoge (APC-Ekiti) said that the timing of the national confab was not right.
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He said that national confab was a big conference that required years of planning and not something to be rushed.
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The lawmaker expressed concern that 2014 was a year of elections in some states and the 2015 was general elections, adding that these years might not be conducive for a conference.
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He said that the appropriate time would have been after the general elections.
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“I don’t think that my reaction would be different from that of the APC, I don’t think that the timing is right, it is very wrong, it is ill-timed,’’ he said.
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In his reaction, Rep. Sunday Adepoju (APC-Oyo), faulted the duration and composition of the National conference.
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Adepoju said that the problems confronting Nigeria could not be deliberated upon within three months.
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“How can you discuss an important issue like the national conference within three months, more so, when the political space is already taken shape,” he said.
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According to him, government is only trying to divert the attention of the public.
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He said that the conference should have been conducted before now and wondered how the delegates would be selected or elected.
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Also reacting, Mr Osita Okechukwu, National Publicity Secretary of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), faulted the non-inclusion of some political parties in the conference.
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“The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties wishes to report the unfair and gross under representation of the registered political parties in Nigeria.
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“It is very unfair that only five out of the 25 registered political parties are allocated 10 delegates.
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“We feel that we are denied representation, we are short changed, and we feel we are not given fair representation.
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“We are appealing to the Federal Government that this anomaly be corrected before the national conference commences,’’ he said.
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