The National Conference has adjourned till Monday, March 24, after yesterday’s rowdy session – the first following President Goodluck Jonathan’s inauguration of the conference Monday evening at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja. Delegates met for about two hours before sitting was adjourned.

Indications that there would be trouble emerged when the Chairman of the conference and former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, began the day’s proceedings by reciting an Islamic prayer in Arabic.

One of the South-West delegates and Christian preacher, Pastor Tunde Bakare, drew the attention of Kutigi to the fact that the conferees were of different religious leanings and wondered why he prayed in Arabic before setting for plenary.

While advising everyone to stick to the official language of communication at the conference, Bakare said: “The chairman spoke in some language we did not understand. The chairman needs to be fair and stick to a language we all understand.

“We must not bring religion here. We must keep to time. If we say 10a.m., we must keep to that. We are the same people that usually take on our lawmakers for taking huge money. If you have your personal assistants, you need to pay them.”

An obviously displeased Kutigi did not immediately respond to Bakare’s point of order. He had earlier tried in vain to calm frayed nerves as the plenary also became rowdy due to opposition to some of the conference proceedings.

Secretary of the Conference, Dr. Valerie Azinge, had after the introduction of the management team of the secretariat, taken delegates through the conference routine.

She said: “Arrangements are being made to enable Muslims have their prayers every day. No prayer ground is made available for the Christians. But a place would be provided later.

“The conference will run from Mondays through Thursdays. The conference will begin at 10a.m. each day and will end by 6p.m.

“Regarding the payment, everything has been monetised, from transport to accommodation and other things. The rules and the authentic copies of the constitution will be made available to delegates so that they can get familiar with the contents before our next sitting.

“Before any sitting, proceedings of the previous day will be adopted by the delegates. We must agree on the previous proceedings before we can go into the business of the day.

“Cost of hiring personal aides by delegates is not captured in the budget for the conference. If delegates want to hire personal aides, they need to pay with their money.

“We will try and be as democratic as possible. We will give people the right to challenge anything. If the delegates decide at the end of the day that they want a new constitution, those things will be accommodated.

“When the sitting starts properly, we will have three months to come up with resolutions on the way forward for our country.”

The conference thereafter erupted into a shouting match with delegates largely divided into two groups, one supporting the modalities while the other was stoutly opposed. Two delegates from Edo and Rivers states, Charles Edonsowan and Prof. Amakievi Gabriel, were booed when they objected to the earlier submission made by the conference secretary that names of delegates would be tagged in the chairs.

However, the leader of former state governors to the conference and former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, said special preferences should be accorded to the aged and physically challenged persons.

He took exception to the clamour that there should be sitting arrangement for the delegates state by state, saying that there was no need keeping seats for people or a group of people, adding that delegates should be allowed to sit freely except the aged and the disabled delegates that could be given priority.

Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) from Edo State also picked holes in some of the arrangements. He challenged the provision of a place for Muslims to pray to the exclusion of Christians. According to him, Christians also deserve a place of prayer in the interest of justice, equity and fair play.

He said: “Some of us are in our Lenten period. Since you have provided a place for the Muslims to pray, are you going to do the same for Christians?”

•Adapted from a National Mirror report. Photo shows Conference Chair Kutigi flanked by deputy, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi and Secretary Valerie Azinge.

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