Chat 212 - News Summary...
- As the controversy over the proposed National Conference rages the opposition APC is yet to meet to take a position.
- Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this in response to enquiries from our correspondent in Abuja
- However, President Goodluck Jonathan’s kinsmen described the proposed national dialogue as “a deceit, distraction and a waste of public funds.”
Chat 212 - Newsmail Report...
As the controversy over the proposed National Conference rages, the opposition All Progressive Congresses is yet to meet to take a position.
National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this in response to enquiries from our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said in a text message, “The party has not met to take a position on the matter.”
However, President Goodluck Jonathan’s kinsmen in the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta described the proposed national dialogue as “a deceit, distraction and a waste of public funds.”
MEND in a statement sent via electronic mail, declared that apart from the therapeutic benefits of reducing the political tension in the country, the planned dialogue had nothing to offer.
The militant group said, “Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta considers the proposed National Dialogue as another deceit, a distraction, waste of public funds and time. Aside from the therapeutic benefits of letting off steam from a political perspective, it has absolutely nothing else to offer.
MEND said, “The National Assembly members should rise up to their responsibilities and justify their huge salaries and fringe benefits. Reversing the injustice meted out especially from the General Yakubu Gowon and Olusegun Obasanjo military regimes on the people of the Niger Delta, is one of such responsibilities.
“Upon Nigeria’s return to democratic governance, the unjust distortion of the Nigerian Constitution by military dictators has been widely acknowledged. This mutilation of the pre-Independence Constitution laid the foundation for militancy in the Niger Delta.
“Military dictators on account of oil, stripped the indigenes of the Niger Delta of their land and God-given mineral resources which have for 53 years been used to develop other parts of Nigeria while the people of the Niger Delta survive in abject poverty without basic necessities such as potable water, electricity, roads, schools, habitable shelter to mention a few.”
But the Peoples Democratic Party has described those opposing the setting up of committee on national conference as hypocrites.
The ruling party said it was also astonished because those criticising the committee had advocated for it on several occasions.
National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, who stated this in a statement he personally signed in Abuja on Tuesday, said the idea of national dialogue was in line with the Triple ‘D’ agenda of the party.
He listed the triple “Ds” as Dialogue, Defence and Diplomacy.
Jonathan had on Monday inaugurated a 13-man National Advisory Committee on the conference and charged them to produce a blue print and procedures for convocation of the conference.
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