Heated debate over committees, quorum

The secretariat, in the draft rule of procedure, provides that the committees’ chairmen and their deputies would be selected by the secretariat, a provision opposed by the delegates.Another suggestion was made by Senator Sa’idu Dansadau, saying that the three former Senate Presidents in the conference, two representatives from the six zones in the country should […]

The secretariat, in the draft rule of procedure, provides that the committees’ chairmen and their deputies would be selected by the secretariat, a provision opposed by the delegates.
Another suggestion was made by Senator Sa’idu Dansadau, saying that the three former Senate Presidents in the conference, two representatives from the six zones in the country should join the secretariat to form the committees’ leadership selection team.
But when the chairman of the conference Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi put the proposal into vote it was loudly rejected.
Despite this, Senator Ahmadu Ali, a PDP delegate, insisted that allowing committee members to appoint their leaders would lead to one zone dominating others, which will bring about cries of marginalisation.
It was resolved that appointment by the secretariat would take care of geo-political balance, experience and competence of the delegates involved.
The delegates finally agreed that the committees’ members should appoint their various chairmen and their deputies.
On appointment of committees, it was agreed after a heated debate that each member should indicate which committees he would want to serve.
The most prolonged debate of the day was drawn from a motion moved by Mike Ozekhome, SAN. It was on the determination of questions proposed during the conference especially on controversial issues.
He said while the draft rule of procedure stipulated that in the absence of a consensus, 75 percent of delegates must vote for such an issue to sail through, he moved that conference should adopt the two-thirds majority vote practicable both in parliaments and other groups.
Ozekhome was supported by other speakers which include Gani Adams, Bisi Adegbuyi among others.
But Professor Auwalu Yadudu from the Northeast disagreed. He said the president’s address was explicit on the unity of the country, and that for decisions to be adopted and implemented, it must attract sufficient support of delegates across the country and that delegates must not accept the assumption that consensus on critical issues would be impossible.
An elder statesman, Ayo Adebanjo from Ogun State, said: “We have been in this struggle for too long, we are going to work for a consensus. This country must remain one. The things causing contention, we must iron them out. What we want now is solution to the future.”
Later, the chairman ruled that further debate on the issue be taken over to the next sitting when members would have had sufficient time to reflect on all sides of the arguments.
Another issue that attracted long debate was that of quorum. While some delegates suggested one-third of delegates, others said 50 percent of members must be present at either plenary or committee meetings before a quorum could be said to have been formed.
At the end, when the question was put, it was the position of the majority that one third of delegates of the conference or committees would form a quorum during each session.