Confab leaders violating rules – Northern delegates

The delegates under the auspices of Northern Delegates Forum (NDF) wrote the letter to the chairman of the conference Justice Idris Kutigi drawing his attention to “issues of serious concern.” But about two months later, the chairman neither responded to nor addressed the issues raised in the letter by the delegates, Daily Trust heard yesterday. […]

The delegates under the auspices of Northern Delegates Forum (NDF) wrote the letter to the chairman of the conference Justice Idris Kutigi drawing his attention to “issues of serious concern.”
But about two months later, the chairman neither responded to nor addressed the issues raised in the letter by the delegates, Daily Trust heard yesterday.
They said the voting pattern, the way reports are being considered and mode of voting have violated the conference rule of proceedings as well as the agreement reached by the “50 Wise Men” at the beginning of the conference.
There are 192 delegates from the North while there are 300 from the South, a development that gave numerical advantage to the south.
The latter, dated  May 27, was addressed to the conference chairman Kutigi and it was jointly signed by co-chairman of NDF retired Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Coomassie and elder statesman retired General Jeremiah T. Useni.
In the letter entitled “Northern Delegates: Issues of Serious Concern,” the Northern delegates raised issues of voting, consideration of reports, and mode of voting.
The issues raised by the delegates in that letter came to the limelight last week when the conference considered reports of committees on politics and governance; political restructuring and forms of government.
In these reports, the plenary adopted controversial issues such as removal of local governments from the constitution, states creation, state police, among others.
Northern delegates on Thursday rejected all the resolutions adopted by the conference, and demanded that all the controversial issues be subjected to either consensus or ballot voting not voice votes. Below is the content of the letter by the Northern delegates.
The letter addressed to Kutigi last May read:
“We are constrained to bring to your urgent attention the following disturbing issues of concern:
1. Voting: We observe with serious concern that Conference leadership despite our disadvantaged numerical position in the conference, which has been brought to your attention, has continued to insist on using a voice vote in taking decisions at the Conference. This is contrary to the agreement reached at the meeting of “50 Wise Men” with your leadership and as adopted and enshrined in Rule XI of the National Conference Rules of Procedure, 2014.
“We reject any further use of this method of arriving at decisions in the Conference, as it is detrimental to our interest. Accordingly, we demand the immediate discontinuance of this procedure.
 2. Consideration of reports: We have noted with concern that conference has been subordinating substantive committee recommendations to impromptu comments and proposals for amendment without first putting the committee recommendations to members. This has created some confusion and leaves members to take uninformed decisions. This is contrary to order VIII of the National Conference Rules of Procedure 2014.
 3. Mode of voting: While reaffirming our resolve to stand by the Conference decision to decide issues by consensus, in the event of a need for voting, it should be by open ballot in conformity with the decision reached at the meeting of the conference leadership with the “50 Wise men” and Chairmen, Co- Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of committees. We wish to point out that despite the odds we face; we have resolved to participate in the Conference in the best national interest.  
 4. Conclusion: We wish to strongly urge the leadership of the conference to take prompt steps to remedy the situation to enable our people continue with the conference in amity.”