 |
| Prof. Dora Akunyili |
A former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, on Tuesday, reappeared at the venue of the ongoing National Conference with a declaration that the confab was President Goodluck Jonathan’s most courageous act.
In her contribution during the discussion on the inaugural speech of the President, Akunyili said the conference was Jonathan’s gift to the country.
There have been reports that the ex-Director-General of the National Agency for Food, Drugs, Administration and Control was suffering from an undisclosed illness.
She looked frayed when she made a sudden appearance at the ongoing conference in Abuja.
Akunyili said, “I want to start by congratulating Mr. President for having the courage to convene the National Conference; Nigerians have for long clamoured for this National Conference. I regard this National Conference as President Jonathan’s best Centenary gift to Nigeria; it is a testimony of the fact that he is a listening President.
“Mr. President’s speech oozes of humility, modesty, patriotism and a deep concern for the present and future of this beautiful country. Jonathan in his maiden Confab address also admitted that ‘sovereignty belongs to the people’ and that those in leadership position are only holding power in trust for the people.”
In her submission, the Executive Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, representing Civil Society Organisations, said the confab should bring power back to the people.
Akiyode-Afolabi said that the confab must ensure that power reverted to the people.
She said, “The conference must restructure governance system to be answerable to the people; we want to see a legitimate government that is open, transparent and accountable. Organs of government must yield to people’s wishes and aspirations.”
Akiyode-Afolabi also urged the confab to write a constitution that would reflect the wishes of the Nigerian people, particularly women, girls and people with disabilities.
Another delegate and a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Prof. Jubril Aminu, said it was his concern that at the expiration of the conference, mutual distrust and suspicion, which has long characterised Nigerians, should be a thing of the past.
Aminu said, “The President is the first Nigerian PhD holder and the second graduate President to pilot the affairs of this nation, it is not surprising to see a well scripted and ideal speech from the President. I only hope that this conference should be our last, we should find ways of resolving our differences today.
“I believe his speech has helped cleared the air on a number of issues and we ought to believe him. The President said he did not have a personal agenda and we believe him, he said that we should not insist on mistrusting and distrusting each other.”
On the issue of subjecting the outcome of the conference to a referendum, he said, “I think that the present constitution is a good one, but needs a little brush, particularly as it affects local government reforms.
“Our constitution is very good, there is no need rubbishing it here, there is no need rewriting it; it can be made better and one of the things we can do in this conference is to try to look at those items in the constitution such as immunity, local government reforms and accountability.”
A former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and a delegate from the South-South, Obong Victor Attah, said, “Nigeria must be re-launched, the cleavages facing the nation today is purely influenced by man because in today’s society, some Nigerians have moved away from practicing patriotism to practicing ‘bigmanism’ and this is taking us many steps backward.”
Ex- Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, said Jonathan’s speech recognised the need to address gender issues as a way of building balance in our political and economic state.
Download National Common Entrance Examination Past Questions and Answers
Download unlimited e-books in various disciplines for FREE
Get Breaking News on BBM - add our PIN - 232FC0E9
Follow on Twitter to receive updates every hour
Don't miss the next news item - LIKE our Facebook page
No comments:
Post a Comment