Senate calls for 2014 national conference report

THE Senate, on Wednesday, passed a resolution calling for the submission of the final report of the 2014 national conference in a bid to address the problems of growing ethnic tension in the country.

Senators arrived at the resolution following the adoption of an amendment to the prayers of the original motion moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan and 105 others.

Lawan’s motion, entitled: “The need for national unity and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria,” was debated by the Senate for more than two hours, after which the resolutions were taken.

The amendment seeking the submission of the confab report was moved by Senator Mao Ohuanbunwa and seconded by Senator Olamilekan Adeola.

Lawan had decried the rising ethnic tension in the country, declaring that the time had come for the chamber to play the role of statesmen to guide the restive youth.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the sitting, Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe, Shehu Sani, Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso, Barnabas Gemade, Magnus Abe, Biodun Olujinmi, Binta Garba Marshi, Oluremi Tinubu, Adamu Aliero, Jonah Jang and Chukwuka Utazi, among others, supported the motion with different contributions.

Senator Ohuabunwa, who spoke on the need for restructuring, said the chamber needed to ensure dialogue and the implementation of the 2014 confab report.

Former governor of Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero and former governor of Plateau State, Senator Jonah Jang, asked the leadership of the Senate to immediately take steps to request for the report of the 2014 national conference.

The duo said the Senate must commence work on the report immediately.

“In 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan brought people from every ethnic nationality together in Abuja in what was called the national conference. It was chaired by Justice Legbo Kutigi. The participants came up with beautiful recommendations.

“This is the time to implement those recommendations. The Senate should demand for the outcome of that conference and find a way to implement them. That is the solution to these ethnic agitations. The outcome of the conference should be tabled for discussion,” he said.

His view was supported by Jang, who said the Senate must recognise the confab report immediately.

“I want to align with what Senator Aliero said. I remember that the seventh Senate said it did not recognise the national conference because they were the true representatives of the people.

“I think this is the time for the report of that conference to be debated. So many useful decisions were reached. We need to debate those recommendations and see how they can address the issues coming up now,” he said.

In his contribution, Senator Magnus Abe said that the country must give ear to agitators before they become silent, adding that his Ogoni area of Rivers State had been clamouring for attention for a long time.

Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso also told the chamber that though it was good that the Federal Government had initiated meetings with leaders of the North and the South-East, such meetings should not paint a situation as if the matter was between the North and the South East alone.

“The problem is everywhere. The acting president met with northern leaders on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I am aware that he is meeting with South-East leaders. There are three geopolitical zones in the North. If the acting president met with leaders from the three geopolitical zones in the North, he should also meet with leaders from the three southern geopolitical zones.”

Ekweremadu told the session that the seventh Senate could not do much on the confab report because the former president forwarded it to the assembly one week before the expiration of the Assembly in 2015.

“To be fair, the report was sent to us in the seventh Assembly by President Jonathan. But it was sent just one week before the end of that Assembly. There was nothing we could have done.

“By this motion, you are saying the president should forward the report again to the National Assembly for deliberations,” Ekweremadu said.

He also said the Senate had spoken with one voice on the motion, adding that “this is not the time to look at ourselves as blacks or whites or those right and wrong. I want to call for restraints from all sides so that we can have an egalitarian society.”

Following the deliberations, the Senate resolved to “urge all Nigerians to desist from actions and utterances capable of jeopardising the corporate existence of our dear nation.”

The senators also “urged the Federal Government to direct the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation and other relevant agencies to intensify enlightenment and advocacy of loyalty the nation.”