Notable Nigerians are kicking against a National Conference without sovereign power advocated on Tuesday by Senate President David Mark.
Civil rights activist Shehu Sani described Mark’s suggestion as diversionary because whatever decision taken at such conference would not be binding.
He said: “Nigerians are not just asking for a conference but a sovereign one. It is not the usual conference that come out with a communiqué but a conference with a resolution that is binding on the Nigerian people.
“Right now, the country is operating under the military conference and the constitution authored by the Abacha and Abdulsalam military regimes. We need to use the opportunity of our centenary to freely discuss all issues that bother the Nigerian state, so as to strengthen our unity, democracy and enhance the wellbeing of our people.”
Social critic and political activist Prof Tam David-West shared Sani’s view. He said national conference of ethnic nationalities being suggested by Mark was not the solution to the country’s problems . David-West said: “We need a SNC where the representatives of all ethnic group would sit and freely discuss on how we relate with one another, do we still want to remain as a country and what type of government do we want.
“We should not run away from the truth, we should come to a round table conference to discuss our differences and the structural distortions in the polity. Whatever decisions taken at such conference become sacrosanct like the Bible and the Qur’an.”
Constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Prof Itse Sagay said Mark needs some education about why the conference must be sovereign.
He said: “If it is National Conference without sovereign powers, it is okay, it is a good development. Though, Sovereign National Conference is preferable. It is assembly of Nigerians to discuss issues and come up with the best possible means of addressing and proffer solutions to Nigeria’s problems. There is no need for us to hold a conference that its decision would not be binding.
He said the conference should address: the issue of ideology, that is, what should be the ideological direction of Nigeria; the relationship between the federating units as regards issues of economy and political power distribution, production of a new constitution for the country and the issue of social welfare programme for Nigerians.
