President Goodluck Jonathan has rejected calls for the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference.

This is contrary to the calls by some groups and individuals that an SNC will give ethnic nationalities the opportunity to choose how to relate or associate with one another.

Jonathan, who spoke at the Dialogue with the President at the 16th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, said the nation had gone beyond the call for the SNC and should be concerned about how to build a prosperous country.

The President also blamed kidnapping on government’s failure to address the problem when it was evolving.

He also stated that corruption was prevalent in the private sector as it had been in the public sector, adding that what should be done to check the menace was to strengthen law enforcement agencies.

According to the President, the constitution has already prescribed how the fundamental law can be changed; adding that any attempt to change the law by any other method would be an illegality.

The President said, “We have the 1999 Constitution which clearly prescribes how the constitution can be changed. We have the National Assembly that makes laws for the nation.

“Sometimes we get carried away by some jargons. It is not the number of conferences that we hold that can solve our problems. The countries that we cite as examples in development, it is not conference that solved their problems.

“We have gone beyond asking how ethnic groups can live together. We will not allow history to hold us down. It was in 1914 that the Southern and Northern Protectorates were amalgamated. In four years now, we shall be celebrating 100 years of our existence as a nation. So we have gone beyond the agitation for Sovereign National Conference.”

“We have gone beyond asking how ethnic groups can live together. We will not allow history to hold us down. It was in 1914 that the Southern and Northern Protectorates were amalgamated. In four years now, we shall be celebrating 100 years of our existence as a nation. So we have gone beyond the agitation for Sovereign National Conference.”

Jonathan, who spoke at the Dialogue with the President at the 16th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, said the nation had gone beyond the call for the SNC and should be concerned about how to build a prosperous country.

~Bluetooth:

Beaf has always campaign for a SNC and now,jonathan is saying NO to it. . .let's see what beaf has to say about this ! No beefing intended bro.

Beaf:

Dude, I really don't like people calling my name in a topic I am yet to comment on, you have done this to me several times. You will no doubt note that I have never done it to you (and you can be sure, I will not).

@topic
What Jonathan has said in long words, is he is okay with the National Conference if it is organised through the NASS. That is my understanding, he is against an adhoc thing that is not backed by any law.
That said, I feel some trepidation because the question has become open ended, so I will await further clarification.

~Bluetooth:

No vex. . .you and I know that SNC has always been one of the major agitation of the ND,so his opposition against it is more or less political than actually addressing the problems associated with the 1999 constitution and the ND agitation.

jabbok:

The structure of Nigeria today was designed for the comfort and gains of the people in power with the ordinary nowhere in the equation. Why do you think people go to extra miles to be in power in Nigeria? Why do you think people suddenly change when they get into power? Why do you think the 'North' and some other groups will prefer to go mad rather than see GEJ elected. This is a dysfuntional system period, and nothing good can come out of NASS because the difference between them and the executive is just like that between six and half a dozen. Only a selfless leader can have the courage to go for SNC. I doubt if GEJ is that kind of leader

mikeansy:

I agree with him that the Sovereign National conference has become a waste of everybody's time. It usually does not achieve much because the ethnic Nationalities & traditional rulers who attend do not agree on anything.
I think the most effective way to change Nigeria now is through the NASS.

But I find his summation of Niger-Delta crisis as mere oil bunkering out of place. If he is saying the Militants are simply in it in other to trade in oil through bunkering then thats fair enough. But the major problem in Niger-Delta as in every other part of Nigeria is poverty and corruption.

jabbok:

Bros, do u honestly think that anything good can come out of this present composition of NASS? There is simply no opposition in those houses(upper and lower), the very few opposition have cross-carpeted to the PDP. As we speak, the whole 'honourable' NASS members in my state are fighting to return to ABJ come 2011. I mean all of them, and I know the do-or-die situation is playing out the same across the 36 states.

mikeansy:

I agree with him that the Sovereign National conference has become a waste of everybody's time. It usually[b] does not achieve much because the ethnic Nationalities & traditional rulers who attend do not agree on anything.[/b]
I think the most effective way to change Nigeria now is  through the NASS.

But I find his summation of Niger-Delta crisis as mere oil bunkering out of place. If he is saying the Militants are simply in it in other to trade in oil through bunkering  then thats fair enough. But the major problem in Niger-Delta as in every other part of Nigeria is poverty and corruption.

~Bluetooth:

I agree with you on the major problem confronting the ND but i disagree on the SNC.A law dictates how the society ought to be organized and controlled.what we have presently is a piece of paper that recognise the elites while the common man suffers.
No process of formulation of law is easy just as the NASS constitution amendment during the OBJ regime almost turn the country upside down.what we need is a law that will tolerate and treat all nigerians as one irrespective of class.

mikeansy:

Believe me I have taken time to read various sections of Nigerian Constitution and have come to the conclusion that[b] the problem is not the constitution itself but implementation.[/b] From what it means to be a citizen of this country to what your fundamental human right means. The constitution as written down is very good.

The problem is that there is a big void between the constitution and our everyday practice. What we should be calling for is following the law to its letter and a leadership with the best of intention to give the right interpretations to our constitution.

Now our constitution is not perfect. No constitution will ever be perfect because that is why there is always room for the law to be changed. But it defeats the purpose of any SNC or writting any new laws when the current laws have not even been exploited to its fullest.


I will give you an example. The Nigerian constitution does not recognise the indigene and settler dichotomy. But in the heads of Nigerians some people are aboriginal to certain places while others are not. If your name is Hassan, you are born is Aba and have lived all your life there then you are an immigrant. If your name is Okeke and you were born in Kano and spent 20years there, you are still an immigrant. This confusion has led to wars and is at the very heart of the Jos crisis. And yet this dichotomy is stuck in our heads and does not exist in the 1999 constitution because our constitution says every Nigerian can live anywhere in the country, associate with who they like, and have the right to vote and be voted for.

Now you and I know this is not what obtains in practice. What is the solution to the above problem I highlighted above? Is it new laws or just plain common sense implementation and enforcement.

Abagworo:

There is a serious crisis brewing in Nigeria.The only solution to the Niger Delta crisis remains[b] true federalism and resource control[/b].The problem lies on how to divide the country to its federating units.This is the part where SNC is required.

mikeansy:

From the point of view of Fedralism and Resource control, yes new measures are required to change our current structure but there is no guarantee that an SNC will achieve this. May be an SNC is required but I am simply skeptical that it will be another jamboree for traditional rulers and jingoists which will eventually not achieve anything.

ChinenyeN:

Not surprising, but still very disappointing.

Hold on. . . Mikeansy, let me understand your position right here. Basically, what you seem to be saying is that the compromised system that you want to change, is in fact the very some one that you will want to come and rely on to effect such a change?

mikeansy:

What I am simply saying is that SNC is usually converged as the people's representatives. While such a gathering was apt during the colonial era or during the military era, under a civilian system of Government we already have an institution of elected representatives of the people known as the National Assembly.