Jonathan to receive final confab report on constitution review next Thursday

The final report of the National Conference will be formally presented  to President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja next Thursday.This came as delegates unanimously adopted the draft constitution 2014 which was later rechristened: “Proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution”. The document had been the subject of intense power-play and disagreement between Northern and Southern delegates. This is even as the Northern delegates backed down on their opposition to the draft.Continue after the Break..

Yesterday’s session drew the curtain on the conference’s plenary . The parley was inaugurated by President Jonathan on March 17.  The motion winding up the conference was moved by the  Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammad  Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa and seconded by Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), who described the conference as memorable.

Earlier, the motion for the adoption of the three  amended volumes of the report was moved by  former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN). He also described the assignment as memorable and humbling.  Chairman of the conference, Justice Idris Kutigi, who was elated, described the adoption of the reports and rounding off of the plenary as “a dream come true”.

He said that the formal report will be presented to the President next Thursday. He thanked leaders of various zones for brokering agreement that led to the unanimous adoption of the reports which had split the conference in the last three days. The adoption was an anti-climax to the earlier prediction by many that the conference would end up a big mess.

Reacting to the peaceful resolution, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Gen Jeremiah Useni, said: “We ended on a very happy note. We are very happy considering what we achieved in the last two days. We thought we were going to fail.

“There was opposition and counter-opposition. People even lambasted northern delegates of accusing President Goodluck Jonathan. But nothing of such happened eventually. We all agreed, except volume 3 which was captioned: “Draft Constitution 2014.” We said no and that it should be proposed amendment to the 1999 Constitution. Everything there is a proposal. By yesterday afternoon, the chairman of the conference had separate meetings with leaders of the North and South. We all agreed. That was why there was no counter-motion this morning when we reconvened. That is all.

“I had this same experience in 2005 when some people staged a walk out because of derivation. But later, we resolved it.”

Former Deputy Senate President, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu, said: “I am happy to be a Nigerian. I am extremely happy to be a Nigerian. Our attitude here today has demonstrated the uniqueness of a Nigerian. We can shout, but at the end of the day, we will allow what is in our best interest to prevail. A Nigerian is a unique human being. If you were here yesterday, you will believe that by today, we will just exchange blows. Look at the way it has ended. It ended happily and peacefully. The interest of the nation had been put forward before any other parochial or selfish interest.

“People who were against the new constitution were thinking that some people had smuggled into the draft bill some clauses that were not decided during plenary. They have now gone through the draft constitution and they have seen that everything that is captured there clause by clause was approved on the floor. Many of them do not understand how this conference works.

“When you hold a conference and the report is compiled and submitted to the government, it is supposed to metamorphose into a constitution,” he said.

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen Ike Nwachukwu, said :“It is most commendable. I am so delighted that at the end of all of these negotiating and dealing, we have come to an appropriate end that will produce for Nigerians a better country where no one is oppressed or where  no side can claim superiority over the other. A place where every individual, man or woman has a chance to develop to the best where his or her ability will take him or her.

“Our countrymen and women are good at talking to each other. When the chips are down, we resist any threat to the unity and existence of Nigeria. This is what we have done here again. Nobody wants to destroy Nigeria. We have proved to the world that we have come to stay as a nation. That is a nation where no one is oppressed,” he said.

Meanwhile, after days of fierce opposition to the new draft constitution, delegates from the North (North-east and North-west) had finally changed their mind.

The delegates who had vowed to shoot down the final report of the conference, alleging of “plans to smuggle in new clauses”, ‎have now supported their colleagues from the South and Middle-Belt.

Addressing a press conference yesterday after the leadership of the conference formally closed the conference, former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, said contrary to views of some Nigerians, the North had always supported the conference.

Although many northern delegates have always opposed many actions taken by the conference leadership, Coomassie who spoke on behalf of Northern Delegates’ Forum (NDF), however, noted that their actions were aimed at strengthening the outcome of the conference.

Coomassie said their grouse with the conference leadership was the phrase, “New Draft Constitution 2014.” He told journalists that some of their actions were misinterpreted.