National Conference: FG names ex-CJN, Kutigi, chairman"

Southsouthpdp Lagos President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Kutigi, as the chairman of the National Conference. A statement on Monday by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, named a former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, as the vice- chairman and the wife of the Director- General of the Nigerian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies, Dr. Valerie Azinge, as Secretary. The appointees are to resume duty tomorrow in Abuja. The Federal Government had in releasing the modalities for nominations for the proposed National Conference, said the conference was expected to hold in the Federal Capital Territory. It is expected to last three months. According to Anyim, 492 nominees will participate in the conference, which is to be held in the Federal Capital Territory. He stated that where consensus was not achievable, “it shall be by 75 per cent majority.” Anyim said that after the three-month deliberations, the conference itself would advise the government on the legal framework, procedures and options for integrating its decisions and outcomes into the 1999 Constitution. The SGF had stated that the conference would discuss any subject matter, except the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation. He had quoted the President as saying, “You will also recall that the President further stressed that, “sitting down to talk is one right step in calming down tensions and channeling our grievances, misgivings and suggestions into more positive use for the good of our country. “The President stated as well that in any case, Nigerians are already talking about their national challenges through the print and electronic media.” He observed that, “the only gap is that while these talks are sometimes weighty, they often lack direction.” Modalities for the conference as outlined by the SGF include 37 elder statesmen; one per state and the FCT, to be nominated by the President. The list also includes retired military and security personnel from each of the armed forces, the Police, the State Security Service and the Nigeria Intelligence Agency . Others are traditional rulers (two per zone and one for the FCT), retired civil servants; one from each of the geopolitical zones and the FCT, representatives of labour (the NLC and the TUC) whose nominations should reflect geopolitical and gender balance; and Organised Private Sector with two nominations from NECA, MAN, NACCIMA and NESG. The conference would also feature Nigeria Youth Organisations with one nomination each from the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NANS and others.