Delegates tackle Kutigi over c’ttees

A statement signed by five civil society activists on behalf of the 24 civil society organisations at the conference, said the reversal of the procedure was undemocratic.“We are concerned with the way and manner that the committee of 50 went out of its terms of reference to propose to conference the reversal of a decision […]

A statement signed by five civil society activists on behalf of the 24 civil society organisations at the conference, said the reversal of the procedure was undemocratic.
“We are concerned with the way and manner that the committee of 50 went out of its terms of reference to propose to conference the reversal of a decision earlier made with respect to committees of conference having the right to elect their presiding officers,” the statement said.
Those who signed the statement are Femi Falana, Abiola Akiode, Festus Okoye, Dudu Manuga and Jaye Gaskia.
They said the earlier decision for committees to choose their chairmen was unanimously adopted by the delegates in plenary during discussion of rules and procedures of conference on March 24.
But they added that they were concerned that a “committee made up no more than 10% of delegates, and saddled with a different task of arriving at a consensus on what should constitute majority vote in the absence of consensus, would go outside of its own mandate, deliberate on and recommend the reversal of a decision validly taken by all delegates in plenary.”
They said they are worried that this practice may entrench the “emergence of some sorts of super delegates who can take decision on behalf of or even opposed to the views of majority delegates.”
The secretariat selected a committee of 50 delegates from across the country to find solution for the two thirds/three quarters voting mode stalemate that stalled the conference for two weeks.