Four committee reports fixed for debate tomorrow
Chuks Okocha and Onyebuchi Ezigbo
Delegates to the National Conference resumed plenary session yesterday with a resolution to commend countries whose soldiers and security agencies are intervening in the rescue operations to bring back the students of the Government Girls' Secondary School, Chibok that were abducted by Boko Haram.
The delegates also rejected a motion by human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana that the conference should investigate the over three trillion naira budgeted for security since 2010 to date, while the delegates at the plenary session fixed Wednesday for debates on reports of the committees on Religion, Citizenship and Immigration Matters, Land Tenure and Boundary Matters and Environment.
New delegates also joined the conference. They are Ali Sidi Hamid who replaced Dr. Emma Shehu from the North-west and Ahmed Ibrahim Baba (AIG) replacing Hamma Misau who died last month. A minute silent was observed for Dr. Mohammed Jummare who died early May.
Two delegates, Eddy Eragbe and Goddy Uwazurike had moved a motion that the federal government should be commended for its efforts towards ensuring the safe return of the abducted girls, but the former Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Josephine Anenih modified the motion to include a commendation for the countries that were helping in the rescue of the abducted girls.
According to her motion that was eventually adopted by the conference, "We must acknowledge the global intervention in the search for the Chibok girls and also all the women, men and mothers who have made it possible for the attention of the world to be focused on the search for the abducted girls."
Anayo Nnebe who also supported the motion, explained that nothing has shown that the Nigeria military has not been able to contain the insurgency, but added: "While commending the efforts of the military, we should also not forget that countries that came to identify with Nigeria in the search for a solution to the security crisis."
However, Femi Falana rather called for a probe into the appropriated funds for security, which he said had gulped more than three trillion naira since 2010. He said that under section 217 of the 1999 constitution as amended, that it was the duty of the military to protect the territorial integrity, lives and property of all Nigerians, hence attention should be focused on the money expended by the federal government on security.
Falana urged the conference set up an investigation into how the N3 trillion was spent in the last four year, but his colleagues rejected the motion to probe the security funding.
According to Anayo Nnebe, it is not right to question the invitation of foreign military assistance, but rather we should commend them and encourage them to do more.
He objected to the call for a probe on the defense budget, stating that what should be paramount now is how to tackle the insecurity and to rescue the abducted girls rather than waste time on probes.
Another delegate, Mike Ahamba (SAN), in his contribution, said that Nigerians must discourage the penchant for disparaging those working for the country, especially the manner Nigerians castigate the military that are sacrificing their lives.
According to him, "We should not do something to discourage our men who are fighting the insurgency, let us encourage the efforts put in the fight and ask them to do more," stating that since the insurgency has proved to be a cross-border matter, going into collaboration with international forces to stem the tide was in order.
It was at this stage that the Chairman of the Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi summed up the views of the delegates, saying that the conference should commend the efforts of all those involved in the fight against insurgency and encourage them to work harder to rescue the abducted girls.
The Secretary of the Conference, Valerie Azinge announced that Wednesday has been reserved for the commencement of debates on the reports of four committees: Environment, Land Tenure and Boundary, Citizenship and Immigration and Religion. She thereafter invited the chairmen and deputy chairmen of the committees to come and lay their reports before the plenary.
When the committee on Devolution of Power was called up, its co-chair, Ibrahim Coomassie said its report was not yet ready and that it needed a day to do so.
Reports that were ready at the plenary session were that of the Citizenship, Immigration and Other Related Matters, National Security, Land Tenure and Boundary Matters, Social Sector, Environment, Law, Judiciary, Human Rights and Law Reform.
Other committees' reports submitted include, Economy, Trade and Investment, Religion, Political Reform and Restructuring and Politics and Governance, Foreign Policy and Diaspora Matters as well as Public Finance and Revenue.
The committees' report that were not ready at press time were that of Transport, Science, Technology and Development, Agriculture, Civil Society, Labour and Sport, Public Service, Political Parties and Electoral Matters and Energy.
The conference secretary announcement that so far, only 12 reports were received from the committees, while eight were outstanding. She assured the delegates that all the reports that were ready would be submitted for study.
Giving details on the modalities for debate, Mrs. Azinge asked all the delegates who want to speak in support of the reports and against to submit their names to the secretariat so that they can be included in the order paper.
In the same vein, the secretary further urged any delegate who wishes to introduce an amendment to indicate by submitting same to the secretariat before Wednesday.
Prof. Awwal Yadudu raised objection by saying that the secretariat shall observe the rules of proceedings Order 9, Rule 1 in the debate of the reports to avoid the exercise being chaotic.
Kutigi at this point said the procedure for the debate was that the chairman of each of the committees whose report was being considered would be given an opportunity to speak on the report for 30 minutes before others join in the debate.
While justifying the order of debate, Kutigi explained that from the list of names given to the secretariat by the federal government, the number of bodies is about (97) and that the secretariat finds it difficult to categorise the delegates according to that order.
He urged the delegates to feel free to debate and offer their views on any issue on the floor and at the end; the secretary will be able to make the necessary conclusions.
The chairman said the secretariat would subsequently provide delegates with a weekly course list of reports of committees to be discussed to guide them in preparations for debate.
Former Inspector General of Police, Muhammad Gambo-Jimeta explained that since every delegate is a member of a group that it will be better if each group study the reports and come up with a position which one of the members will be appointed to present on the floor. According to him, this was the only way to fast track the process of considering the reports otherwise the conference will take longer time to finish.
His suggestion was however rejected by Kutigi who reminded him that decision had already been taken on the opening of register for the debate.
Raymond Dokpesi also said it will make for good order and fairness and in order that there would be enough time for delegates to express their views. He said it would better to get the groups to form debate clusters, adding that jettisoning the order contained in the conference proceedings may deny some delegates the chance to contribute in the debate.
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