Finally! FG names delegates to National Conference

Nwobodo

The Federal Government has released the list of delegates  to  the  national conference.

A statement  on Thursday  by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, named Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), Chief Olu Falae, Erelu Olusola Obada,  and Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), as some of the 37 elder statesmen  to attend the conference.

Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, Josephine Anenih, Senator Jim Nwobodo, Mike Ahamba (SAN), Senator Azu Agboti, Dr.Peter Odili,   Alfred Diete-Spiff, Edwin Clark, Daisy Danjuma, Prof. Evara  Esu, Chief Nduese Esiene and Prof. Ambrose Okwoli  are also on the  list as elder statesmen.

Others are Alhaji Abdulahi Ohoimah, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Mr. Dogara Ogbole, Prof. Jerry Gana, Gen. Jonathan Temlong, Prof. Jubril Aminu, Alhaji   Adamu Mu’azu,   Ibrahim Bunu, Yerima Abdullahi, Mr. John Mamman, Alhaji Adamu Waziri, Alhaji Umaru Zandan, Prof. Mohammed Jumari, MallamTanko Yakassai, Senator Ibrahim Idah,   Justice Usman  Argungu, Prof. Sambo Jinadu, Ishia   Gusau and Gen. A. B. Mamman.

Apart from   Justice Idris Legbo-Kutigi , who is the  conference chairman,   Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi (deputy chairman) and     Dr.  Valerie Azinge (Secretary),  Anyim  also listed       Dr. Akilu Indabawa  as the    Assistant Secretary  in charge  of conference proceedings; Prof. Mahmood Yakubu,     Assitant. Secretary, Finance  and Administration;  and   Mr. James Akpandem,    Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications.

A former  Chairman  of PUNCH Nigeria Limited and ex-Chairman of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, Chief Ajibola Ogunshola , as well as  radical cleric, Pastor Tunde Bakare, were named among the 15 delegates to represent the South-West at the conference.

The other  prominent persons from   the zone  are Dr. Adetokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, Senator Anthony Adefuye, Senator Femi Okunrounmu, Chief Gani Adams, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi and Mr. Yinka Odumakin.

Okunrounmu headed  a 13-member  Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue set up on October 1, 2013 by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Prominent among   those  to represent  traditional rulers at the conference  are  the   Lamido of Adamawa,   Dr. Muhammadu Mustapha; the Emir of Ilorin,  Alhaji Sulu Gambari; the Gbong Gwom Jos,  Gyang Buba; the Obi of Obingwu,   Eze   Cletus I. Ilomuanya; and the Amanyanabo of Nembe,  Dr. Edmund Daukoru.

While   labour unions have  Abdulwaheed Omar of the Nigeria Labour Congress;Bobboi   Kaigama and Peter Esele of  the Trade Union Congress  as some of their top delegates, the Organised Private Sector  will be represented by   Chief Kola Jamodu, Chief Bassey  Edem,  and  Mr. Frank Nweke, among others.

Retired military and security personnel have the likes of  Zamani Lekwot,  Raji Rasaki, R.O. Osanaiye. A. K Horsfall while retired civil servants have Ebele Okeke and Amuna Ali as their prominent delegates.

Women in Management, Business and Public Services produced   Hajiya Bola Shagaya as their top delegate and the political parties have Chief Chris Ejike Uche  of the  All Progressives Grand Alliance;   Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, Accord Party; Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, Labour Party;   as well as  Dr. Ahmadu Ali and  Chief    Olabode George  of the Peoples Democratic Party as their main delegates.

As of the time the list of delegates was made available to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the main opposition political party, the All Progressives Congress, had not made  the names of its delegates available.

Among the  prominent  muslim leaders to attend  the conference are Prof. Is-haq O. Oloyede and Alhaji  Nurudeen Lemu.

Civil Society Organisations  have  Joe Okei-Odumakin, Olisa Agbakoba, and Femi Falana as key delegates and the  NPAN has    Mr. Nduka Obaigbena and  Mallam Kabir Yusuf.

The Nigeria Guild of Editors has top members like Isaac Ighure and  Is’haq  Kawu  as delegates while the  Nigeria Union of Journalists has    Alhaji   Sani Zoro and Mr. Lanre Ogundipe.

The Broadcasting Organisation of  Nigeria has among  others, Chief Raymond Dokpesi and    Abubakar  Jijiwa as top delegates.

The South-South has prominent persons like  Ray Ekpu,  Prof. Kimse Okoko and    Gen. Paul Omu as delegates while  the South-East  has     Gary Enwo-Igariwey,  Chief Onyema Ugochukwu and    Sam Egwu. The  North-East  has    Mallam Mohammed Ibrahim,   Ambassador  Adamu Aliyu and Hassan Adamu as some of its delegates.

While the North-West  has among other  people  like   Ibrahim Coomassie,  Auwalu Yadudu and   Tanko Ayuba as top delegates, the  North-Central is to be represented  by  Jeremiah. Useni,   Ibrahim Mantu,  Prof. Iyorchia Ayu and Gbemi Saraki as key delegates.

Professional Bodies  have Okey Wali of the  Nigeria Bar Association,  Segun Aina of the    Chartered Institute of  Bankers of Nigeria,  Felix   Bajomo of the    Institute of Chartered  Accountants of Nigeria,  Johnso  Oluata of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria,  Bunmi Oke of the    Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria and    Prof. Olu Ajakaiye of the Nigeria Economic Society as prominent delegates.

The Nigerian Academy Of Science has among others      Prof. Oyewale Tomori,   Vincent  Maduka  and  Prof. Munzali Jibril as some of its delegates while the  Judiciary prodcued  Justice G. A. Oguntade,  Justice F.  Tabai and   Justice Veronica  Ume.

Former governors, who   will be led by Olusegun Osoba,   have    Chief  Achike Udenwa,  Obong  Victor Attah and  Fidelis Tapgun as some of their delegates while Senators’ Forum will be represented by Khairat Abdulrazaq Gwadabe   Iyabo Anisunlowo as   top team members.

The House of Representatives Forum, has   Ghali   Na’Abba and   Chibudom Nwuche while the  Federal Government will be represented by persons like   Gen. Alani Akinrinade,     Prof. Anya O. Anya,    Annkio Briggs,  Tony Nyiam,  Adamu Aliero and  Atedo Peterside.

State governments  and the Federal  Capital Territory have three delegates each.

Adolphus Wabara is one of the delegates for Abia State,  Gambo Jimeta (Adamawa),Anietie Okon(Akwa Ibom),Chukwuemeka Ezeife, A. B. C. Nwosu, Dora Akunyili(Anambra), Gambo Abdullah(Bauchi),  Diepreye  Alamieyeseigha(Bayelsa) and Tilley Gyado(Benue)  as delegates.

Borno State has   Kashim  Imam, Fati (Dongonyaro) Ali Monguno while  Cross River State has   Anthony Ukpo  and   Florence Ita-Giwa as delegates.

Delta State  has   Godini  Darah as one of its three delegates;   Ebonyi,   Chigozie Ogbu;  Edo,  Charles Edosomwan;  Ekiti,   Akin Oyebode;   Enugu,   Ken Nnamani;  Gombe,   Usman Faruk;  IMO,    Izuogu; and Jigawa,    Bashir Dalhatu and   Rukayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i.

Kaduna State has among others,  Yusuf Turaki,Sule Yahya Hamma(Kano), Mamman Nasir(Kano), Haliru Muhammad(Kebbi), Olusola Akanmode(Kogi), Ahmed Mohammed (Kwara),  Tunde Samuel (Lagos), Mohammed  Lawal(Nasarawa),  Abubakar  Chika(Niger), Fola Adeola(Ogun), Oluwafemi Mimiko(Ondo), Gbadegesin Adedeji (Ogun), Adeniyi Akintola(Oyo), Dakum Shown(Plateau), Makievi Gabriel (Rivers),Bello Suleiman(Sokoto),Adamu Aliyu (Taraba), Hassan Yusuf (Yobe), Lawal  Gummi (Zamfara) and Musa Salihu(FCT).

The Okurounmu-led  committee which was inaugurated on October 7, 2013 was mandated to advise government on the framework for a national dialogue by consulting widely with Nigerians.

While inaugurating the committee, Jonathan had said, “sitting down to talk is one right step in calming down tensions and channeling our grievances, misgivings and suggestions into more positive use for the good of our country”.

The committee  submitted its report to the President on  December 18, 2013 and on January 30, 2014, the Federal  Government released the modalities for the National Conference.

At a press conference jointly addressed by Okurounmu and the  committee’s secretary, Dr. Akilu Indabawa, Anyim said the  conference “shall tentatively last for three  months and shall discuss any subject matter, except the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a nation.”