Three days after President Gooduck Jonathan announced the constitution of a committee to prepare ground for the convocation of a national dialogue or conference, two of the country’s major ethnic groups yesterday clashed over representation.

Whereas Ohanaeze, the pan-Igbo group, wants representation to be on the basis of equality of ethnic groups, the pan-northern group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), is taking a contrary position.

Attacking the Ohanaeze position on the issue, ACF National Publicity Secretary Anthony Sani said in a text message circulated to press men in Kaduna:

“Someone needs to inform Ohanaeze that its recommendations that representations in the national dialogue should be on equality does a lot of violence to definition of injustice by Aristotle who said injustice is not only when equals are treated unequally but is also injustice when unequals are treated equally.

“One wonders the justification in making the representations by Ibos and Idoma of Benue state to be on equality, or that of South East and North West to be on equal basis. Those making such submissions are trying to reinvent the wheel or redefine democracy to mean minority prevails.

“It is too early to forget the fact that the pregenator of the unitary system introduced by General Ironsi was our revered Zik.”

It would be recalled that President Jonathan in his nationwide broadcast on October 1 announced the establishment of a committee headed by veteran opposition politician, Dr. Femi Okurounmu, charged with the responsibility to advice on the modality for the conference.

•Photo shows Ohanaeze President, Dr. Gary Enwo-Igariwey.