Kutigi overrules 100 delegates on proceedings
The leadership of the National Conference turned down yesterday some delegates’ request to limit the number of speakers during deliberations on reports of standing committees.
This happened as the leadership of the conference threatened to go tough on truancy, a development it said was becoming too much.
The conference is in the third week of considering committee reports. It has concluded work on about nine of the 20 reports before it, with less than five weeks to round off its job.
The decision of the leadership followed the rejection of a proposal it presented to the delegates on the need to save time following the delay associated with huge number of delegates willing to speak on the reports.
Col. Bala Mande (rtd), a delegate on the platform of a Northwest and 99 others sponsored a motion on proceeding to save time.
The motion proposed a number of representatives or groups to speak on reports rather than every delegate who indicates interest to speak.
The motion was similar to another one, which was earlier suggested by the leadership but was rejected after several delegates insisted that it was not unanimously adopted.
Another delegate, however, challenged the leadership for entertaining a motion about an issue that had been decided.
Deputy Chairman Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi said the leadership could not ignore a motion sponsored by 100 people.
Bansadim Leonard, a delegate representing the Northeast, agreed that the conference needed to save time to cover substantial grounds. But he regretted the nonchalant attitude of some delegates on the essence of the forum.
The delegate pointed at empty seats that featured regularly in the auditorium since the beginning of the week.
He said: “We seem not to be serious. In a conference like this, we do this country a great disservice when we look about and the seats are empty continuously.”
Ruling on the matter, Conference Chairman Justice Idris Kutigi said the motion would not be entertained because the issue had been ruled on.
He said: “We have been ruling on motions for two weeks. People would decide. They go back, meet, conspire and come back. This motion was brought forward before and it was rejected. We have been taking this motion for the last two weeks.
“…As gentlemen, when you make a decision, you should follow it up.
“This motion is based on representation that you should chose among yourselves; who to speak on issues at stake. But we made a ruling here before that we don’t recognise representation by delegates. And we ruled here that everyone is entitled to speak.”
