Support Jonathan’s Conference Even if You Have Doubts – Oshun

The Chairman of the Afenifere Renewal Group, Mr Wale Oshun, on Monday called on Nigerians to support the proposed National Conference for which President Goodluck Jonathan has set up an advisory committee, despite any doubts they have harbour regarding the procedure.

Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Mr Oshun commended the President for taking a step in ensuring that the wishes of the people are brought to reality but faulted his terms of reference which stipulates that any agreement reached at the conference will have to be verified by the National Assembly.
Oshun described this act as “jumping the gun”.
The advisory committee is “supposed to guide the conduct, to lay down the modalities, advise on the structure, advise on the timeline inclusive of the mode, so the President sort of jumped the gun,” he stated.
He added that the President should have awaited the committee’s report particularly in that respect, because he had already enjoined them to look at all the factors surrounding the conference.
Mr Oshun said Mr President’s action indicates lack of trust in the whole process.
Oshun, who was a member of the Constituent Assembly in 1987 and then the chief whip of the House of Reps in 1992, explained that the government has always played a vital role in all the similar conferences held in the post- coup conferences.
The government had nominated individuals into important posts as well as influence decisions; however, Mr Oshun cautioned that President Jonathan “must show a genuine intention and concern for holding a dialogue.”
He also said that Nigerians are especially concerned about the Conference because the current system isn’t working and so there is a need to make the central government less powerful than it is.
The position of the ARG, he said, is that President Jonathan should be given credit for setting the committee, and that Nigerians should support the Conference, inspite of the doubts they have.
He added that “it would be the duty of Nigerians to come out heavily to ensure that the Conference holds; that the committee is guided and pressurised into doing the right thing; and when they submit their report, that the President is pressurised into doing the right thing.”
Speaking on the stand of the Yoruba tribe as regards the Dialogue, Mr Oshun said that a submission titled ‘The Yrouba Agenda,’ has been in circulation for about 10 years and its recommendations remain the same as far as Yorubas are concerned.
The submission was consented to by various groups in the ethnic group including traditional rulers, women groups, civil societies, political groups.
“Every federal unit would have the autonomy to conduct its affairs in a way that is beneficial to it.
The Yoruba Agenda also calls for a strong country in which every unit can determine its own pace of growth and development.