10th February, 2013
Eminent Nigerians, including Alhaji Yusuf Maitama and Prof. Ben Nwabueze, on Saturday rose from a meeting in Lagos, calling for a national conference before the 2015 elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting, held under the aegis of Project Nigeria, was jointly chaired by Maitama and Nwabueze.
Addressing newsmen after the closed door meeting, Nwabueze said that “any election held before such a conference considering the situation in the country may spell disaster”.
“The convoking of the national conference is essential before any elections are held.”
He said Project Nigeria would facilitate the forging of a national front, comprising various groups, to press on the Presidency and National Assembly, the demand for a national conference.
“The team will meet with the president and leaders of the national assembly and submit a memorandum on the conference.
“The memorandum wIll spell out how delegates are to be choosen, the preparation of a draft constitution and preparation of a referendum,” he said.
He said there was need for Nigerians, both as members of ethnic, civil society groups and individuals, to deliberate and agree on what terms and conditions of living together.
“The conference will also adopt a constitution whose source is the people. A constitution that will ensure justice, peace, development and progress to all Nigerians, ” he said.
Maitama, who led the Northern Elders Forum to the meeting, said that justice was the key to power all over the world.
He said that the dialogue was important because “contact removes conflict”.
“What the tongue can do, let not the sword be used,” he said.
He assured Nigerians that the conference would be truly representative of all interest groups.
NAN reports a public affairs analyst, Prof. Pat Utomi; former Gov. Goddy Ibru of Delta; Mr Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Chief Kunle Olajide, former Secretary of the Yoruba Council of Elders attended the dialogue.
Others are former Minister of Commerce, Mrs Bola Kufuriji-Olubi; wife of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Ganiyat Fawehinmi and Gen. Alani Akinrade, an Afenifere chieftain.
Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Phillip Asiodu, former Economic Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, also attended the meeting.