The delegates at the Tuesday sitting of the confab started by speaking on the report submitted by the committee on political parties and electoral matters. Chief B. Adedeji, an Osun state delegate commended the committee for delivering a good job.
He notes that all Nigerians in government have not displayed any sense of commitment. He urged everybody to be more patriotic.
Chief Gani Adams representing the South-West, commended the work of the committee especially on the issue of ‘god-fatherism’; he lamented that it is the cancer eating up our political life. He also discouraged government funding of political parties.
Justice Abdullahi Mustafa kicks against renaming of the Nigerian Industrial Court to Nigeria Constitutional Court.
He however suggested the establishment of a separate constitutional court to adjudicate constitutional cases.
Some delegates added their voice to deepening internal party democracy and the participation of the youths in politics.
Mallam Kashim, Fed. Government delegates, said that in choosing a consensus candidate, contestants should be involved in decision making.
Chief Jerry Okon, urged delegates to support the motion that youths should be allowed to participate in politics as early as 25. he supported the unbundling of INEC for better accessibility.
Sen. Nnamdi E. said most parties lack party ideology and that they end up deceiving the voters into unplanned period of grieve. He is of the view that any public office holder who cross carpets should be made to loose their seats.
Fidelis Tapgun, former governors’ forum representative suggested that state electoral commissions should be scrapped as they are the people who breed corruption in Nigeria.
The Conference was then adjourned. On resumption, they started making amendments to the report on Political Parties and Electoral Matters.
The Conference agreed that persons holding the youth leadership in political parties should not be more than 35 years
The Conference accepted that any party that does not provide for 35 % affirmation for women should be penalised.
The Conference accepted that the age of 25 years should be minimum age for contesting elections into the State House of Assembly.
The Conference agreed that any private contestant must show full details of his history if he has not been involved in embezzlement.
It Rejected that 15% should be allotted to persons living with disabilities for all elective and appointive offices.
The Conference resolved that there should be establishment of Constitutional High Court.
It rejected that the appointment of INEC chairman should be done by political parties.
The Conference rejected a recommendation that running mates for governorship, chairmanship and presidential candidates must be women. However, the female delegates protested leading to another round of voting. Still the Conferences rejected the recommendation.
The Conference rejected a recommendation that primaries of all political parties be conducted by INEC.
The Co-chairmen of the Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government, General Ike Nwachukwu and Mohammed Kumalia began the presentation of the Report of the Committee.
The Committee said unicameral legislature with full time was recommended. It said the tenure of office of legislature shall be four years, but limitless.
It said Nigeria shall retain a federal system of government with states as federating units. It said states that wish to merge may do so in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
The Committee said it recommended the abolishment of the LGs, but that local governments could be created by states.
In other some measure of independence of the LG, the Committee said the State RMAFC with representation of LGs and chairman be nominated by the governor, be created and the Joint state/LG Account be abolished.
The Committee said after wide consultations, it was resolved by consensus that an additional state be created for the South East zone and all others demand should be considered on merits. Any new states should a minimum population of one million.
Florence Ita-Giwa from Cross River State moved the motion for adjournment of the Conference proceedings till Wednesday. The motion was seconded by Rabi Ibrahim of NCWS from Zamfara State. Conference was adjourned.