Comrade Ibuchukwu Ezike, , Executive Director, Civil Liberties Organization,CLO is a delegate to the on-going National Conference in Abuja.In this exclusive interview by Danlami Nmodu, publisher/editor –in chief,Newsdiaryonline.com ,he cautions the leadership of the conference against subverting the democratic wishes of the delegates and of course the Nigerian people.Excerpts:
Q:I think we should start by looking at the recent controversy over how a decision should be taken.Even though it’s been resolved that when an issue cannot be resolved by consensus ,70 percent vote by the delegates will be okay.I later emerged from a press conference address by civil society activists to which you belong that the leadership of the conference has reversed how to elect committee chairmen and deputies.What exactly happened?
A:Well ,thank you.Let me say it’s not just the civil society.It was in conjunction with the Labour.Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress are part of the struggle…You will recall the President of Nigeria Labour Congress ,Comrade Umar was the man that addressed the media on this…Before Mr Chairman, Honourable Justice Kutigi(said) that he would consult the 50 wise men and women,most of them leaders of ethnic nationalities, state delegations as well as civil society which Olisa Agbakoba is our representative,we had already resolved the issue of election or selection of the leaders of the committees;in which we resolved that the committee should be left to select their leaders.
Q:Was it resolved at the committee of the whole of the house or?
A:The entire conferees.The conference resolved before Mr Chairman requested for him to go and consult on..The issue (in) contention was the three quarter and two third majority requested to decide where there is a division.So the issue of election of the leaders of the committees were never in contention before Mr Chairman requested for those persons to consult (with).So we were shocked that when they came back from the consultation , they now (said) that the secretariat in consultaion with other friends of the secretariat will now select our leaders.And I moved a motion which mentioned that what the 50 persons with secretariat had decided was a total rape of the democratic will of the conference.Comrade Jaye Gaskia supported the motion and the chairman put the matter to vote that those who supported the previous decision which was that the committees should elect their leaders should say aye.And we said aye.The majority of the conferees said aye.And when he saw that those who were against failed, he now turned to tell us that the previous position was that the secretaritat will appoint chairmen.And we said that is not true.And we did a memo which we sent to the secretariat mentioning our views and that the status quo ante should remain.
Q:So as at now the civil society activists and the labour movement have sent a memo to the leadership?
A:Yes , we sent a memo before we addressed the media
Q:What was the content of the memo?
A:That we were shocked at the sudden reversal of the democratic decision of the Conference.And then that the secretariat or the chairman should make effort to revert the situation to the status quo ante.Otherwise allow the leaders of civil society and labour to also chair committees of the conference.
Q:No what is this fear about reversal all about really in concrete terms?How does it impact on decisions at the National …
A:National Conference
Q:National Conference,sorry
A:The fear is very obvious.If for instance we have agreed we are going to take this decision and it was agreed, there was no controversy,it was put to vote and those who supported were in the majority and it was carried by the conference;how are you sure that when even at the end of the day when there is a final report by the conference that this thing will not be thwarted and then another conference report which is not owned by the conference sent to the public.That is our fear.
Q:In effect, you people are suspicious of the fact that there could be some secret moves to reverse decisions of the house?
A:Yes, at the end of the day,because if you could now reverse the decision of the house that was not questionable and you said that fewer people can now decide on what a larger house has decided,then, there is the suspicion that even at the end of the day the final report of the conference may be tinkered with.
Q:Do you have any suspicion that there could be a hidden agenda as some people have been suggesting,from what you are seeing inside?
A:..I can’t say there is a hidden agenda so far…What we are trying to say is that the secretariat should not input actions into what the National Conference is doing.They should allow the democratic decisions of the conference to hold and do not attempt to supplant the decisions of the entire conference.It is dangerous and it is undemocratic.
Q:But I also saw a statement from the secretariat trying to explain how this issue you people are quarrelling about was resolved
A:The issue was never resolved.The issue was resolved to the extent that the committees should elect their leaders.That was the decision before they went to consult.I will want Mr Akpandem to tell us where the delegates to the conference unanimously agreed that the secretariat should elect the leaders of the committees.Was it part of the mandate given to the chairman and the committee to resolve?The only issue in contention that was the issue of dividing the house when there was no consensus.It was not an issue of appointing leaders or the committees.
Q:What if the leaders simply ignore you?
A:This country does not belong to any individual or group of individuals (alone).It is a country called Nigeria that belongs to all of us..And it is not a decision that I will take myself.If there is a wilfull decision by the National (Conference) Secretariat to ignore the positions of the labour and civil society which is very obvious,then we will meet again to discuss the way forward.
Q:Beyond that we can see the nature of the debate so far.What is your own assessment as a civil society activist?
A:Well you know we have not actually started debating the issues affecting Nigeria.What we are debating at the moment is the President’s address….So far so good.The preponderance of the opinions of the Nigerian people are in support of devolution of power to make the centre less attractive and then (making) the federating units stronger.The other issue is (that ) of restructuring the country so that every stakeholder will participate actively.Then there is the other issue of justiceability of Chapter 4 of the national constitution of 1999 in which you cannot go to court against a government or tier of government that has violated the human rights of the citizen like the right to education,the right to housing, the right to security, the right to habitable environment and so on and so forth.So these are the issues … and the issue of corruption.Every member of the conference .. has spoken condemning corruption in the system.So these are the issues that are burning the minds of the conferees.And we hope that major issues will be the issues that the committees will discuss.
Q:Before the conference even started there were these speculations or fears in some circles that there is a secret plot to see to the division (disintegration) of Nigeria.Do you get any feeling that Nigeria may not survive?
A:It is not true.There is nobody who has made any statement on the floor of the conference that speaks against the unity o this country.The corporate existence is there ,(but) we have to discuss those things that will make the federation to survive.These are the issues of justice,these are the issues of equiy,these are issues of truth and enforcement of the rule of law and fundamental human rights of citizens.
Q:If people have not spoken like that(against Nigeria) why would the Lamido of Adamawa come out with the kind of outburst he did that some people are giving the impression ..(and )that if this country breaks some people cannot survive.
A:What the Lamido did..he was trying to threaten Nigerians that if the country breaks,that he has a fallback position which he thinks that most of us do not have.But when he made that statement ,the outburst of Nigerians at the conference was that they were against him and till today,people are still making reference to the statement that was made by the Lamido of Adamawa.So I think he is on his own because no conferee from any part of this country has supported the position he has taken.
Q:So ,Lamido of Adamawa is on his own?
A:He is on his own because nobody has supported the position he has taken.
