Conference Final Week
Idris Kutigi
Confab chairman, Idris Kutigi on Monday announced that the “50 Wise Men” could not meet on Friday as scheduled after adopting Thursday’s votes and proceedings. He then adjourned the conference for two hours to enable the meeting. The conference resumed at 12:10 P.M
The controversy over the derivation formula again divided the delegates and it looked like it was going to scuttle the work done by the 498 delegates during the past four months.
Ibrahim Coomasie
The Northern delegation led by former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Commasie had on Thursday insisted that the decision taken by the Consensus Building Group spearheaded by Raymond Dokpesi did not gain the acceptance of all the members.
Commassie had stopped Gambari, the chair of the Consensus Group from presenting the report of the body at plenary.
A frustrated Gambari then threatened to pull out of the Consensus Group over what he described as a serious embarrassment to his person by Commassie.
The Conference then resumed with over 95 per cent of delegates seated inside the Conference chamber and ready for a showdown on the derivation formula.
North v South
There was palpable tension inside the chamber as delegates from the North and the South remain defiant in their various positions on the percentage to be adopted as derivation principle.
Dokpola had argued that the conference decided that the state remained the federating unit in the country, adding that oil-bearing state will now be expected to pay some percentage of tax to the center.
Kutigi said the plenary has come to an end but the final report will be tabled on August 4, for adoption.
Ibrahim Ida
Ibrahim Ida moved the motion to adjourn the plenary until August 4 and the motion was seconded by Okon Osun from Akwa Ibom.