The Federal Government has released the list of delegates to
the national conference.
A statement on Thursday by the Secretary to the Government
of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, named Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, Chief
Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), Chief Olu Falae, Erelu Olusola
Obada, and Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), as some of the 37 elder
statesmen to attend the conference.
Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, Josephine Anenih, Senator Jim Nwobodo, Mike Ahamba
(SAN), Senator Azu Agboti, Dr.Peter Odili, Alfred Diete-Spiff,
Edwin Clark, Daisy Danjuma, Prof. Evara Esu, Chief Nduese Esiene and
Prof. Ambrose Okwoli are also on the list as elder statesmen.
Others are Alhaji Abdulahi Ohoimah, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Mr. Dogara
Ogbole, Prof. Jerry Gana, Gen. Jonathan Temlong, Prof. Jubril Aminu,
Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, Ibrahim Bunu, Yerima Abdullahi,
Mr. John Mamman, Alhaji Adamu Waziri, Alhaji Umaru Zandan, Prof. Mohammed
Jumari, MallamTanko Yakassai, Senator Ibrahim Idah, Justice
Usman Argungu, Prof. Sambo Jinadu, Ishia Gusau and Gen. A. B.
Mamman.
Apart from Justice Idris Legbo-Kutigi , who is the
conference chairman, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi (deputy chairman)
and Dr. Valerie Azinge (Secretary),
Anyim also listed Dr. Akilu
Indabawa as the Assistant Secretary in
charge of conference proceedings; Prof. Mahmood
Yakubu, Assitant. Secretary, Finance and
Administration; and Mr. James Akpandem,
Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications.
A former Chairman of PUNCH Nigeria Limited, Chief Ajibola
Ogunshola , as well as radical cleric, Pastor Tunde Bakare, were named
among the 15 delegates to represent the South-West at the conference.
The other prominent persons from the zone are
Dr. Adetokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, Senator Anthony Adefuye, Senator Femi
Okunrounmu, Chief Gani Adams, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi and Mr. Yinka Odumakin.
Okunrounmu headed a 13-member Presidential Advisory
Committee on National Dialogue set up on October 1, 2013 by President Goodluck
Jonathan.
Prominent among those to represent traditional
rulers at the conference are the Lamido of
Adamawa, Dr. Muhammadu Mustapha; the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji
Sulu Gambari; the Gbong Gwom Jos, Gyang Buba; the Obi of
Obingwu, Eze Cletus I. Ilomuanya; and the Amanyanabo of
Nembe, Dr. Edmund Daukoru.
While labour unions have Abdulwaheed Omar of the
Nigeria Labour Congress;Bobboi Kaigama and Peter Esele of the
Trade Union Congress as some of their top delegates, the Organised
Private Sector will be represented by Chief Kola Jamodu,
Chief Bassey Edem, and Mr. Frank Nweke, among others.
Retired military and security personnel have the likes of Zamani
Lekwot, Raji Rasaki, R.O. Osanaiye. A. K Horsfall while retired civil
servants have Ebele Okeke and Amuna Ali as their prominent delegates.
Women in Management, Business and Public Services produced
Hajiya Bola Shagaya as their top delegate and the political parties have Chief
Chris Ejike Uche of the All Progressives Grand
Alliance; Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, Accord Party; Chief Dan
Nwanyanwu, Labour Party; as well as Dr. Ahmadu Ali and
Chief Olabode George of the Peoples Democratic Party as
their main delegates.
As of the time the list of delegates was made available to journalists
in Abuja on Thursday, the main opposition political party, the All Progressives
Congress, had not made the names of its delegates available.
Among the prominent muslim leaders to attend the
conference are Prof. Is-haq O. Oloyede and Alhaji Nurudeen Lemu.
Civil Society Organisations have Joe Okei-Odumakin, Olisa
Agbakoba, and Femi Falana as key delegates and the NPAN
has Mr. Nduka Obaigbena and Mallam Kabir Yusuf.
The Nigeria Guild of Editors has top members like Isaac Ighure and
Is’haq Kawu as delegates while the Nigeria Union of
Journalists has Alhaji Sani Zoro and Mr. Lanre Ogundipe.
The Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria has among others,
Chief Raymond Dokpesi and Abubakar Jijiwa as top
delegates.
The South-South has prominent persons like Ray Ekpu, Prof.
Kimse Okoko and Gen. Paul Omu as delegates while the
South-East has Gary Enwo-Igariwey, Chief
Onyema Ugochukwu and Sam Egwu. The North-East
has Mallam Mohammed Ibrahim, Ambassador
Adamu Aliyu and Hassan Adamu as some of its delegates.
While the North-West has among other people
like Ibrahim Coomassie, Auwalu Yadudu and Tanko
Ayuba as top delegates, the North-Central is to be represented
by Jeremiah. Useni, Ibrahim Mantu, Prof. Iyorchia Ayu
and Gbemi Saraki as key delegates.
Professional Bodies have Okey Wali of the Nigeria Bar Association,
Segun Aina of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of
Nigeria, Felix Bajomo of the Institute of
Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Johnso Oluata of the
Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, Bunmi Oke of
the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria
and Prof. Olu Ajakaiye of the Nigeria Economic Society as
prominent delegates.
The Nigerian Academy Of Science has among
others Prof. Oyewale Tomori,
Vincent Maduka and Prof. Munzali Jibril as some of its delegates
while the Judiciary prodcued Justice G. A. Oguntade, Justice
F. Tabai and Justice Veronica Ume.
Former governors, who will be led by Olusegun
Osoba, have Chief Achike Udenwa,
Obong Victor Attah and Fidelis Tapgun as some of their delegates
while Senators’ Forum will be represented by Khairat Abdulrazaq
Gwadabe Iyabo Anisunlowo as top team members.
The House of Representatives Forum, has Ghali
Na’Abba and Chibudom Nwuche while the Federal Government will
be represented by persons like Gen. Alani
Akinrinade, Prof. Anya O. Anya,
Annkio Briggs, Tony Nyiam, Adamu Aliero and Atedo Peterside.
State governments and the Federal Capital Territory have
three delegates each.
Adolphus Wabara is one of the delegates for Abia State, Gambo
Jimeta (Adamawa),Anietie Okon(Akwa Ibom),Chukwuemeka Ezeife, A. B. C. Nwosu,
Dora Akunyili(Anambra), Gambo Abdullah(Bauchi), Diepreye
Alamieyeseigha(Bayelsa) and Tilley Gyado(Benue) as delegates.
Borno State has Kashim Imam, Fati (Dongonyaro) Ali
Monguno while Cross River State has Anthony Ukpo
and Florence Ita-Giwa as delegates.
Delta State has Godini Darah as one of its three
delegates; Ebonyi, Chigozie Ogbu; Edo,
Charles Edosomwan; Ekiti, Akin Oyebode;
Enugu, Ken Nnamani; Gombe, Usman Faruk;
IMO, Izuogu; and Jigawa, Bashir Dalhatu
and Rukayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i.
Kaduna State has among others, Yusuf Turaki,Sule Yahya
Hamma(Kano), Mamman Nasir(Kano), Haliru Muhammad(Kebbi), Olusola
Akanmode(Kogi), Ahmed Mohammed (Kwara), Tunde Samuel (Lagos),
Mohammed Lawal(Nasarawa), Abubakar Chika(Niger), Fola
Adeola(Ogun), Oluwafemi Mimiko(Ondo), Gbadegesin Adedeji (Ogun), Adeniyi
Akintola(Oyo), Dakum Shown(Plateau), Makievi Gabriel (Rivers),Bello
Suleiman(Sokoto),Adamu Aliyu (Taraba), Hassan Yusuf (Yobe), Lawal Gummi
(Zamfara) and Musa Salihu(FCT).
The Okurounmu-led committee which was inaugurated on October 7,
2013 was mandated to advise government on the framework for a national dialogue
by consulting widely with Nigerians.
While inaugurating the committee, Jonathan had said, “sitting down to
talk is one right step in calming down tensions and channeling our grievances,
misgivings and suggestions into more positive use for the good of our country”.
The committee submitted its report to the President on
December 18, 2013 and on January 30, 2014, the Federal Government
released the modalities for the National Conference.
At a press conference jointly addressed by Okurounmu and the
committee’s secretary, Dr. Akilu Indabawa, Anyim said the
conference\’shall tentatively last for three months and shall discuss any
subject matter, except the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a
nation.”