I read the list of delegates to the National Conference. Apart from the
\nfact that my lecturer Dr. Mrs. M. M. Dura is a delegate and other few
\nacquaintances, most of the delegates are old faces who have been involved
\nin one form of conference or the other. The report of these conferences
\nremain thrown into the siberia of history. What they should ask themselves
\nis, what is the difference between this conference and previous
\nconferences? Will they not be wasting their time like they had previously
\ndone? There are also people who to my mind are too old to be there. Sir
\nOlaniwon Ajayi, Justice Mamman Nasir, Chief Edwin Clark and a host of
\nothers. Well i know we need to tap from their fountain of experience, but
\ni do not think they should be in the fore front discussing the future of
\nthis country.<\/p>\n
Secondly, i was disappointed to see names of some convicted com ‘baptized’
\ncriminals and people who failed to deliver democratic dividends to the
\npeople when God gave them an opportunity to lead. These people remain
\nunfit to hold any discussion that affects the future of this country. What
\nis a man like Alamesiegha doing in the conference? I think some of the
\ndelegates to the National Conference were selected as a means of political
\ncompensation. Yet we expect them to discuss our future as a country. How
\nlaughable<\/p>\n
Suffice it to state that i have always held the view that we do not need a
\nNational conference to make government responsible and accountable. We do
\nnot need a National Conference to fight corruption, build roads, schools
\nand equip our hospitals with modern and standard facilities. Do we need a
\nNational Conference to create job spaces for our unemployed children? The
\nNational Conference is just another means of wasting resources and
\nprobably a diversionary tactics from pressing issues and ineptitude of
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Sometime in 2005, then president Olusegun Obasanjo, organized the National
\nPolitical Reform Conference, which was chaired by no less a person than
\nJustice Niki Tobi. The report of that Panel remains within the walls of
\nAso Rock, probably covered with dust, forgoten and unimplemented. What i
\ntherefore expect Jonathan and his co-travellers to do, is to pick that
\nreport and implement it and not necessarily organizing another one.<\/p>\n
Do i therefore see anything positive coming out of this conference? My
\nsimple answer is no. There is absolutely nothing this Jonathan’s
\nconference will discuss that has not been previously discussed. The money
\nbudgeted for this Conference can be channelled to other useful purpose.
\nUnfortunately, this is a government where money is stolen to high and
\nunimaginable proportion. Government should know that the people have lost
\nconfidence and remain highly disappointed with its failure to account for
\nmissing funds. Those in government have failed to be diligent custodians
\nof our resources. Therefore instead of allowing one man pocket the N7
\nbilllion proposed for the National Conference, let it be shared among the
\nover 400 delegates. God bless Nigeria.
\nFrank Ijege
\n@foijege on twitter
\nfrankijege@yahoo.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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