Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba State Governments have expressed their support to the proposed National Conference organised by President Goodluck Jonathan, describing it as a welcome development. They also promised to take part in the evolution of a new Nigeria, which will benefit all the citizenry.
This is coming as the Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, said the state government was ready to make an official presentation that would represent the diverse views of the people of the state to the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC) on the National Conference.
The three states declared their support yesterday, while presenting their separate positions before the PAC in Bauchi.
Presenting the position of the Bauchi State Government, a one-time Secretary to the Military Government, Alhaji Muhammadu Maishanu, advised that the membership of the committee should be shared equally, saying 50 per cent of the members should be elected, while the remaining 50 per cent should be appointed by the federal and state governments.
He opined that the federal governments and the committee should spend between three to
six months doing their work, while their recommendations should be taken to the National Assembly for a legal backing.
Submitting Gombe State position, Alhaji Musa Mohammed, said the composition of the members for the National Conference should come from each local government through election or consensus, while the committee should stay between three to six months.
He advised that the committee should map out ways to unite the country irrespective of ethnic, political and religious differences.
Spokesman of the Muri Emirate Council, Professor Bashir Mafindi, said the conference could be successful, if it was targeted towards tackling the problems of bad governance, corruption, insurgency robbery, kidnapping and ensure the unity of the country.
The various stakeholders from governments, civil society organisations and religious bodies advised the presidential advisory committee to focus attention on issues that would promote peace, unity and progress in the country.
The stakeholders said the committee should address the issues of insecurity, good governance, corruption, marginalisation, poverty, unemployment, corruption, injustice, electoral matters, citizenship, indigene settler problems and the present system of government.
Meanwhile, Yuguda, in his remarks yesterday, said the state government was ready to make an official presentation that would represent the diverse views of the people of the state to the PAC on national dialogue.
Yuguda, who disclosed this, while receiving the committee on national dialogue, at the Government House in Bauchi, said President Jonathan’s decision to constitute the committee came at the right time, following demands by stakeholders in the country.
According to him, “the national conference represents a lasting solution to the recurrent regional agitations on issues affecting each region. There is no suspicion on the conference as it means to foster integration.
“There is a great expectation from the conference and is not an exercise in futility as the federal government has put in place all the necessary measures that is needed to carry people along irrespective of any ethnic or religious differences.”
The governor, who cautioned against religious, political and tribal difference among Nigerians, called for unity and peace among the people and charged them to embrace each other.
Yuguda also use the occasion to challenge people to shun every form of violence and embrace the value of true religion as there will be no peace where there is violence.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Senator Femi Okurounmu, said the committee was in the North-east Zone to elicit the views of the zone towards the success of the national conference.
He noted that the conference was necessary to foster unity, harmony, peace and to ensure stable environment towards national growth and integration, following the demands from Nigerians.
“The committee expects people views on the grievances on national issues, number of delegates and how they will be chosen, duration and the legal frame work that will be accommodated by the Nigeria constitution,” he said.
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