3rd April, 2014
Some delegates at the ongoing National Conference have protested the decision of their principal officers to withdraw the power of committee members to select their chairmen and deputies.
Abdulwaheed Omar, spokesperson for the aggrieved delegates told journalists that thwarting a decision already agreed upon by delegates was not acceptable.
“We are protesting against something that is being brought through the back door; the decision for the committee to select their chairmen and deputies at the committee level .
“This decision was concluded by delegates at the plenary, only for it to resurface through the Committee of 50, who are only mandated to talk about the voting pattern.
“The leadership of the conference is using the Committee of 50 to come up with something they were not originally mandated to discuss and we are saying this is the beginning of a dangerous pattern.’’
Omar stated that if the trend continues, there might be developments in the course of the conference, which might not achieve the desired outcome of the conference.
“We are afraid if we go by this trend, only God knows what other things will be manipulated. We are saying we have to practice democracy and we are demanding that this decision be reversed so that we go back to the popular decision.
“In 2005, it was the committees that selected their leaders, why should it be different this time?.’’
On 20 March, an amendment to the Rule was proposed at the conference that committee members should select their chairmen and deputy chairmen from among themselves.
Arguments for and against the proposal were canvassed by many delegates and when the conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi (reed) put it into a voice vote, the “ayes” had it.
However, the leadership of the conference, on Monday, rescinded the power it gave the delegates to appoint their chairmen and vice chairmen at the committee level.
This followed a motion by Hon. Muhammed Kumalia (North-East) that the position taken on Order XII of the Draft Rules of Procedure be rescinded.
The Rule had proposed that the Chairman, in consultation with the Vice-chairman and the Secretary, should choose the committee chairmen and secretaries.