Secretary General of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani, has explained why the report of the 2014 national conference organized by the then President Goodluck Jonathan, cannot be implemented by the Buhari’s administration.
He said, nobody could compel the sitting government to implement reforms outside its mandate; adding that the report of the conference might not be part of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC)’s manifesto.
Sani told SUN newspaper that Northerners neither disowned the conference nor its report, but are opposed to the implementations as canvassed.
He said: “We believe it is undemocratic for an elected government to implement far reaching Reforms of the polity based on recommendations by a conference of unelected delegates, more so that the APC government did not participate in the confab.
“Why should the sitting government be compelled to introduce far reaching Reforms outside its mandate as contained in its manifesto? This is because the reports of the conference may not be part of the party’s manifesto.
“Northern delegates attended the conference because some sections of the country compelled the sitting government to convoke it, since it is better to jaw-jaw than to fight.
“The conference provided a platform where some important people across the nation came together and discussed some real issues of real concern to real ordinary Nigerians. These issues have been brought into the open and cannot easily be forgotten or ignored.
“What remains is for political parties to study the reports, pick those recommendations agreeable to them and include in their manifesto and use the manifesto to canvass for electoral mandate needed for implementation.
“Northern delegates are not so much concerned about the legality of the conference as to its legitimacy.”
I see your point Mr. Sani…that Buhari’s administration should not be compelled to implement the 2014 conference report recommendation because it came from a different administration and a different political party…sure enough.
However, you seem to have shot yourself (your point)on the foot with the subsequent point: “Northern delegates attended the conference because some sections of the country compelled the sitting government to convoke it, since it is better to jaw-jaw than to fight.”
By making that point Sir, you seem to agree that doing and obeying the will of the majority of the country is far more better than fighting. Since that is the case, why is the Buhari administration not obeying the will of the majority of the country? Do you or does this administration not believe in democracy anymore?
Jonathan’s administration, no matter how awful you may think it was, obviously saw how good that confab was and the recommendations it presented…their report was for the good of the country down the road. What is wrong with that? You seem to want to throw away the baby with the bath water simply because it came from Jonathan’s administration. If not, why are you calling for the current administration to implement it? Are you telling us that you believe in a fight rather than peace or peaceful coexistence?
In a democratic society, we do things for the betterment of the society…no matter who brings it up…kwo? This is sadly the point that some of you especially in the current administration do not seem to grasp. Too bad!
Cash Ezimako