As the national conference resumed sitting on Monday, the issue of voting pattern and appointment of chairmen of standing committees sharply divided the 492 delegates as some moved to amend the rules put forward for adoption.
Order 6 Rule 4, states that “any questions proposed for decision in the conference shall be determined by consensus and when this is not achievable, by a three-quarter majority of the delegates present and voting”.
But, many delegates kicked against this rule, arguing that it should be amended to read that where consensus cannot be reached on an issue, two-third majority of the delegates present should carry the day.
The issue generated heated argument and by the close of plenary, agreement could not be reached and had to be deferred till Tuesday.
Mike Ozekhome (SAN), a Federal Government delegate spoke on the contentious voting pattern, insisting the draft rules must be reviewed.
He noted that “369 is the 3/4 of this conference is a number that is obviously humongous, elephantine and behemoth. As we go into the serious issues after adopting this rule, a lot of highly emotive, controversial issues and some demanding of primordial sentiment would prop up.
“As a Federal government delegate, I will discourse from the perspective of a nationalist but there are many delegates here who are from various strata of our society have their own issues, such as State Police, which I vehemently believe in, regionalism or the form of government we are going to take, when such emotive and controversial issues, how do we get 75 percent or 3/4 because it is going to be very difficult if there is no consensus.
“In other words, such issues are dead on arrival if we have to by this rule.
“If we also have to go by this 75 percent rule, it means we are going to have a tyrannical minority if 74 percent if the delegates vote on an issue and the 26 percent voted against but can’t carry through because we have not the 75 percent mark.
“The result is that the 26 percent that voted against has actually won. So my suggestion is that we should toe the line of parliamentary standard across the world by adopting 2/3 majority”.
Another issue that generated controversy was the appointment of chairmen and vice chairmen of the proposed 20 standing committees.
According to Order 6 rule 6b, “the chairman shall, in consultation of with the deputy chairman and secretary, appoint the chairmen and deputy chairmen of the committees”.
However, delegates frowned at this, arguing that members of the committees should be allowed to choose their chairmen and vice chairmen.
After extensive deliberation, the leadership of the conference bowed to this and directed members of each committee should appoint their chairmen and vice chairmen.
The issue of marginalization also came to the fore as women complained that rules and proceedings of Conference only favour men only.
Meanwhile, the proposed 20 Standing Committees are: committees on Devolution of Power, Political restructuring and form of government, National Conference, Environment, Politics and Governance, Law, Judiciary, Human Right and Legal Reform.
Others are: Committees on Social Welfare, Transport, Agriculture, Science and Technology and Development, Civil, Society, Labour and Sports, Public Service, Electoral Matters, Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Matters, Land Tenure Matters and National Boundary, Trade and Investment, Energy, Religion, Public Finance and Revenue Generation and Immigration.
