The five-month National Conference, inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan on March 17, ended on Thursday in Abuja, on conclusion of its plenary which adopted the final report.
The session presided over by the Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi (rtd), ended with a motion moved by Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), the eldest delegate, seconded by Miss Yandoma Mandara, the youngest delegate.
The conference, which drew delegates from different spheres of life, including traditional rulers, civil society organisations, professionals in different fields, religious leaders and the youth, deliberated on various national issues for the past five months.
Issues at stake while the conference lasted included creation of additional states, creation of state police, removal of immunity clause from the constitution for governors and the president and recommendation of life sentence for raping of minors.
The delegates also debated and made recommendations on the need to scrap states independent electoral commissions, reduction of age limit for youths wishing to participate in politics and scrapping of joint states/local governments accounts.
Akinjide, who represented the elder statesmen, expressed gratitude to delegates at the conference for the honour, explaining that he was at the parliament before, during and after Nigeria’s independence.
“It is indeed my singular honour at this 2014 national conference to move for the adoption of the three volumes of our report as amended.
“Mr Chairman, I feel very honoured to be called upon to play this role. I entered parliament before independence and I was in parliament during independence and I was also in parliament after independence.
“So to be called upon to play this role is unique and also unprecedented,” Akinjide said.
Similarly, Mandara (23), who represented the Youth group, commended President Goodluck Jonathan and delegates for giving her the opportunity to contribute her quota to the decision-making of the future direction of Nigeria.
After the adoption of the report by popular voice vote, the whole hall rose to sing the old National Anthem while the delegates from the civil society organisations sang the “solidarity” song.
Shortly after the adoption of the report, Kutigi announced some programmes for delegates who had earlier rejected his announcement for valedictory speeches.
According to him, the secretariat will produce the final report from August 15 to August 20.
There will also be the Chairman’s Dinner on August 20 at the Banquet Hall of the National Judicial Institute (NJI).
The chairman said the conference final report would be presented to to President Jonathan on August 21 at the conference hall, where the president initially inaugurated the conference.
He announced a President’s Dinner after the submission of the report and closing remarks on the same Thursday.
NAN reports that the conference initially took off with a motion moved by Alhaji Barkindo Mustapha, the Lamido of Adamawa, representing traditional rulers and seconded by Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), representing elder statesmen.
Shortly before the closure of plenary, the conference adopted the day’s votes and proceedings in a motion moved by Mrs Josephine Anenih, also representing elder statesmen.
It was seconded by Dr Bello Mohammed, also representing the category.
The 492-delegate conference was inaugurated by President Jonathan for an initial period of three months but it was subsequently extended.
