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Senate Rejects National Conference - Politics - Nairaland

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Senate Rejects National Conference by peckhamboi: 1:08am On Feb 15, 2012
The Senate has rejected calls for a sovereign national conference, saying the country does not need it.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and Media, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, while briefing journalists after plenary on Tuesday said the National Assembly remained the only platform for any national discuss.

Abaribe urged those who were calling for the SNC to bring their demands to the National Assembly which he said composed of representatives of the people.

But pro-SNC groups and individuals have faulted the Senate position, saying the National Assembly could not address the myriad of problems facing the country.

The Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; the Save Nigeria Group; the Congress for Progressive Change; Ijaw Republican Assembly; and a prominent constitutional lawyer, Itse Sagay (SAN), said the Senate was wrong.

Pro-SNC groups have intensified the call for national conference since the militant Islamic group, Boko Haram, stepped up attacks on the northern part of the country. The groups at a summit in Lagos last week called for the convocation of a sovereign national conference.

But the Senate spokesman said the National Assembly was the only vehicle by which constitutional changes in the country could be made.

Abaribe said, “Our position is that we are already elected to represent all persons and citizens of Nigeria. If you look at the composition you are either represented by a House of Representatives member or a senator.

“We do not think there is any matter under the sun that we will shy away from. We do not understand the stand of those who insist that there must be Sovereign National Conference.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we are not against any group, association or persons meeting to discuss because that is to ensure democracy. What we are saying is that there cannot be democracy without democrats.

“Therefore if you want any alteration to the way of life in the country the vehicle is the National Assembly. If you want to change the constitution, bring it through the Representatives and the Senate.”

Reacting to the Senate’s position, Sagay said the country would not survive without the proposed conference.

In a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, he said a SNC was necessary for the various segments in the country to meet and define their terms of association.

“This country will not survive without a national conference. If they want us to live together in harmony, we need to meet and define our terms of association,” he said.

He added, “The Senate is behaving typically like all Nigerians in temporary power – they think the sovereign national conference would take away their personal powers.

“They are only motivated by selfish interests and care only about the N15m they collect every month. It is just lack of foresight and vision that is destroying the country.”

Another lawyer and political activist, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, said the senate rejection of calls for national conference Would not stop the project.

“Their rejection is a non-issue. It is the sovereignty of the people. The conference will come on stream for the sake of the nation and they cannot stop it because the people want to discuss their well-being.

“I am sure the executive arm will not be on the same page on this issue with the Senate,” he said.

The Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, said that the convocation of a the SNC was crucial to the continued existence of Nigeria as a nation.

“We need to talk and I believe that the leadership of the National Assembly would provide a platform that would enable us to fashion a way forward for Nigeria,” he said.

Also, the Ijaw Republican Assembly faulted the stand of the Senate, saying the National Assembly should not play politics with the country.

The spokesman for the group, Annkinto Briggs, said, “Some senators have been in the Senate since 1999, what changes have they brought to Nigeria? What bills have they enacted to move the country forward apart from the huge amount of money that they are receiving? “Let us not play politics with Nigeria.”

A member of the Save Nigeria Group, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said the lawmakers were afraid of the SNC because they were afraid of losing their privileges as federal legislators.

“The National Assembly is a lawmaking body, not constitution-making body. We need an SNC whose decision will be binding on all organs of government,” he said.

Another group, the Igbo Youth Movement, criticised the Senate and said the convocation of SNC was inevitable.

President of the group, Mr. Elliot Uko, said the Senate must have been pandering to the sentiments of those “that are sponsoring the present unworkable unitary system.”

“The nation must restructure along the lines of true federalism. Any delay in convening a national conference will only be postponing the evil day. We are not giving up Nigeria. But Nigeria must be restructured on Aburi Accord,” Uko said.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, described the Senate’s position as an affront to Nigerians.

He said, “The Senators should know that they do not have the power to reject the call that emanated from the people who elected these same lawmakers to their positions.

“Sovereignty belongs to the people and not to a few Nigerians, who also got the power to be on their seats from Nigerians. How can they say they are more powerful than those who gave them job?

http://www.punchng.com/news/senate-rejects-national-conference/
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by peckhamboi: 1:13am On Feb 15, 2012
peckhamboi:

The Senate has rejected calls for a sovereign national conference, saying the country does not need it.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and Media, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, while briefing journalists after plenary on Tuesday said the National Assembly remained the only platform for any national discuss.

Abaribe urged those who were calling for the SNC to bring their demands to the National Assembly which he said composed of representatives of the people.




An ibo man sabotaging SNC
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by DuduNegro: 1:37am On Feb 15, 2012
I hope they are recording the events so 20yrs from now they are not denying that their country man is anti-SNC.

I dont Gej is in support of it either.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by Ojiofor: 2:08am On Feb 15, 2012
Make una go sit down abeg!he is senate spokesman so thats not his personal opinion rather the collective decision of the house of which ur part of the world is fully represented,if senators from zone disagree with him let them come and say so.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by Kilode1: 2:17am On Feb 15, 2012
What we are saying is that there cannot be democracy without democrats.  - Nigerian Senate  Spokesman

LOL  grin
Comedian  embarassed
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by Obiagu1(m): 2:17am On Feb 15, 2012
Abaribe should go to hell!

SNC is the only way to avoid war and outright division.

Another group, the Igbo Youth Movement, criticised the Senate and said the convocation of SNC was inevitable.

President of the group, Mr. Elliot Uko, said the Senate must have been pandering to the sentiments of those “that are sponsoring the present unworkable unitary system.”

“The nation must restructure along the lines of true federalism. Any delay in convening a national conference will only be postponing the evil day. We are not giving up Nigeria. But Nigeria must be restructured on Aburi Accord,” Uko said.

Supported.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by Kilode1: 2:24am On Feb 15, 2012
Anyway is Referedum not in that your 1999 Abdusalami Abubakar constitution? I can bet it's not.


So much for democracy with democrats. . . embarassed



REFERENDUM: A vote taken by the general public to decide an important legislative or policy issue directly (rather than having the issue decided by a representative assembly or other legislative agency).
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by SamIkenna: 2:27am On Feb 15, 2012
peckhamboi:


An ibo man sabotaging SNC

Mr you killed your thread before it even began.
Have a nice day.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by jmaine: 2:33am On Feb 15, 2012
Sam_Ikenna:

Mr you killed your thread before it even began.
Have a nice day.

    Are you surprised
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by ACM10: 5:50am On Feb 15, 2012
peckhamboi:


An ibo man sabotaging SNC

What's your intention here?

An ethnic fight or substantive debate?

I guess u should know that he doesn't speak for us.

Most of those candidates are imposed on us from the outside(esp. PDP's).

Nigeria's policy on Igbos since the end of the civil war is to impose a pro-Nigerian politicians on us.

Thought u can easily figure that out
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by sheyguy: 8:16am On Feb 15, 2012
It is very clear our eastern brothers like being lied to. If an easterner comes out to tell them a lie that suites their ego they accept it with both hands but when faced with a bitter truth the rubbish it and call it the speakers opinion.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by musiwa43: 8:26am On Feb 15, 2012
dont mind them, they may all be jobless very soon , when the army take over govt.  They are playing into the hand of the army.  Army too want to be the governor or head of state,


senators will be jobless soon if they dont call a conference. army will overthrow you, people are feed up. call a conference



[img]http://nigeriadaily.files./2010/09/nigerian-army1.jpg[/img]
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by Demdem(m): 9:39am On Feb 15, 2012
SNC is needed now. Those senators are nuts for rejecting such.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by GWslim(f): 10:14am On Feb 15, 2012
I didn't expect anything less becos they will rather go for the unity of Nigeria than allowing some people discussing derivation, federalism and more to the detriment of the nation Nigeria.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by badmrkt(m): 10:20am On Feb 15, 2012
i want be heard i don't need them to speak for me anymore.ever since they were elected they've not done anything tangible for the betterment of the teeming populance,yet they don't want the people to bare their minds on what is bothering them.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by sirjec(m): 10:26am On Feb 15, 2012
peckhamboi:


An ibo man sabotaging SNC

Illiteracy is a very dangerous sickness. You mean the Ibo man is the one sabotaging SNC because he is the Chairman of the committee on media and information that has to make the decision of the senate public.

Every slightest opportunity fools use it to insult Ibos. I remind you that the Ibos are not the highest in number in the Senate to force decisions on everyone
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by sheyguy: 10:31am On Feb 15, 2012
No matter what we say here, the real owners of Nigeria remain the real owners of Nigeria. They av spoken for now lets just wait, bash ourselves on Nl and watch what happens . . . Reality 101 . . . Very harsh indeed . . . Chai.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by sirjec(m): 10:32am On Feb 15, 2012
If the Senators are really normal, are they not in this country or are they not seeing the problems faced in this country? What have they done or what are they doing to solve the problems in this country instead of fighting for their salaries and allowances.

They are all fools
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by inene: 10:37am On Feb 15, 2012
senate?, what senate.  we dont have a senate worthy of the name. we have a bunch of hungry people feeding fat on the collective patrimony and telling the rest of us to go to hell. we didnt vote for the characters sitting in what is supposed to be a hallowed law making cha,ber but what do we have. a bunch of people sitting in committees and coming up with meaningless proposals that end up in the dustbin. the idea of a national assembly is a huge joke and the earlier we realize the better. its a drain pipe on the poor national economy.  what we should have is a senate where members will be allowances for sitting to do serious legislative work not a place where people spend little time doing nothing but collecting heavy emoluments.  its an insult to the spirit of democracy. with a senate like we have this country will go no where.  such a gang of people would nver support any national conference which makes nonsense of their continued existence hence they will never suport the idea of a national conference.  if they are not there some of them would be champions of a national conference to discuss the continued existence of nigeria as a nation.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by ochukoccna: 10:48am On Feb 15, 2012
I recall Ambassador Olusegun Olushola {AREF founder} saying he visited a refugee camp once only for a disheveled man to walk up to him saying "He [the man] heard Amb Shola was his country's ambassador to Ethiopia and that he was once his country's [Somalia] senate president".
Rwanda's Tutsi female vice president was slaughtered along with the UN peacekeepers guarding her house.

A word is enough for the wise
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by mbulela: 10:48am On Feb 15, 2012
Did you expect them to be the undertaker at their own burial?
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by ochukoccna: 10:50am On Feb 15, 2012
peckhamboi:

An ibo man sabotaging SNC

sirjec:

Illiteracy is a very dangerous sickness. You mean the Ibo man is the one sabotaging SNC because he is the Chairman of the committee on media and information that has to make the decision of the senate public.

Every slightest opportunity fools use it to insult Ibos. I remind you that the Ibos are not the highest in number in the Senate to force decisions on everyone
No need to get all worked up cool cool cool cool
Just ignore the troll. grin grin grin grin
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by Ikology(m): 10:52am On Feb 15, 2012
peckhamboi:


An ibo man sabotaging SNC

thunder strike you there for saying that, Ediooot
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by maasoap(m): 10:58am On Feb 15, 2012
When CBN donated 100 million naira to Boko Harams victims in Kano, you started calling Sanusi names, ignoring the fact that he alone doesn't make CBN. But an Igbo man has served as mouthpiece of anti-SNC, now you realised that he is just airing the resolution of the house. Was he not one of them? Did he not share the same opinion with them? If this man had been Hausa or Fulani, you would be calling him names by now. You wouldn't have picked the same line of arguement, spokesman. Hypocrites. The fact is that once you managed to join the circle/cabal, be it Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo or any other tribe, you would never support any call that is likely to lead to disintegration of Nigeria. That's a fact that you people must get into your skulls.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by jidewin(m): 11:01am On Feb 15, 2012
fellow countrymen,what do you expect from the LEGISLOOTERS?support SNC which will invariably knock off their millions upon millions of salaries and allowances.
Asking them to support SNC is of no use.Unfortunately of more of insurgency arises,all over the country,then they will be the ones to ask for SNC. just my opinion though.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by Onlytruth(m): 11:02am On Feb 15, 2012
Why are these thieves blocking every effort to peacefully resolve the Nigerian national question?
These thieves will be the first to leave the country if a war starts, and they would loot the treasury before leaving.
Ediiots.  angry
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by Tripod3(m): 11:04am On Feb 15, 2012
peckhamboi:


An ibo man sabotaging SNC

OLODO !!
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by Onlytruth(m): 11:04am On Feb 15, 2012
They should be ignored because there is no way they would support anything that would end their kleptocracy.
But one day, bush meat go catch hunter.  cool
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by bulksms247(m): 11:05am On Feb 15, 2012
What are they so afraid of?. Fools wasting our time and money in the name of representative. They are only representing their pockets
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by Gbawe: 11:06am On Feb 15, 2012
sheyguy:

No matter what we say here, the real owners of Nigeria remain the real owners of Nigeria. They av spoken for now lets just wait, bash ourselves on Nl and watch what happens . . . Reality 101 . . . Very harsh indeed . . . Chai.

My brother, you speak truth "101". Indeed this is why I personally post much less on NL these days. I am now totally disillusioned with the Nigerian project. It seems the disconnection is vast between those who see what really matters and those who remain gullible enough to be used to destroy themselves. Nothing brought this home more than the fuel subsidy saga. GEJ himself (and folks should check) stated dismissively in the past that Nigeria does not need an SNC because they can voice their opinions through the Reps and Senators who are "the true representative of the people". Why did GEJ then ignore the "representatives of the people" (both the the REPs and Senators) when they demanded he revert PMS price back to N65.00? Is that not indeed proof that currently in Nigeria , regardless of the passionate effort of even the most enlightened Nigerians to make others see what matters , the "owners" will get their ways with ease?

Personally, I am fed up with the deception called Nigeria. I have no passion for Nigeria, either way, any longer because nothing is more demoralising than noting that fighting passionately for ordinary Nigerians may be fruitless given that our Counrty is a minefield of feudalism, ethnic/religious bigotry and sentiments to the extent you cannot even take it for granted that grown adult will show maturity and detribalised clarity of vision in the pursuit of a common goal.

We cannot even get together to extract good leadership from those we all elected to lead us. SNC or not, Nigeria will get what is coming to it. That is my laid back opinion these days. No manner of passionate postulation, while most Nigerians remain disconnected with nation-changing zeal and knowledge, will change nada.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by Beync(f): 11:23am On Feb 15, 2012
Abaribe is only speaking for selfish interest of the senates, not for any igbo as u can see even a sane se will denounce this stance. The senator said we hav representathieves in national assembly that the people elected them to represent our interests. Ok lets assume the people elected yoU whiCh is a lie given the ways you bought your selves the tickets, now they hav seen that you are not representing well and we say come lets go back to the drawing board so we can discuss areas in you hav not do well or not doing anything at all and instead of you to listen and come to table for real talk, you are now saying you hav no business with them. Senator u Mean all these frightening and distress people are passing thru in the name unity should continue? Ur family need to be hit so u'l get the urgency of the message people are trying to pass thru.
Re: Senate Rejects National Conference by niddamugu(m): 11:24am On Feb 15, 2012
When it comes to sensitive issues on national interest, the Igbos have always been used to kick against them. I'm not surprised because they love "ego". We know them and they have always used the same tactics to be in govt - Ojo Madueke, Uche Chukwumerije, Arthur Nzeribe, Daniel Kanu, the list is endless and now there is an addition to the already long list - Enyinnaya Abaribe. So sad  sad sad sad sad sad

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