THE MODALITIES AND LOGISTICS FOR A SOVEREIGN NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN NIGERIA

The Sovereign National Conference (SNC) is not a cure-all panacea. It is a beginning. It will bring all ethnic nationalities to the discussion table where a no-holds barred discussion of the terms of our union will be (re)negotiated.

Below are my proposed modalities and logistics to give effect to the SNC in practical terms:

A. Legality/Constitutionality:

- The Presidency will send an Executive Bill to convole the SNC to the National Assembly.
- The National Assembly will pass the Sovereign National Assembly Convocation and Related Matters Act.
- All the decisions of the SNC will be subject to ratification by a national referendum through a collegiate voting system so that the larger tribes will not subvert the wishes of the smaller tribes.
- The Referendum will be conducted by INEC and subject to Local and International Observers' participation.
- The ratified decisions will form the basis of a new and true Constitution of the Peoples of Nigeria.
- Any ethnic nationality that chooses to opt out of Nigeria will be permitted to do so peacefully.

B. Selection/Election of Representatives at the SNC:
- Representation shall be only from Ethnic Nationalities: 10 persons per ethnic national no matter its official population figure. The tribe shall select or elect its representatives freely as it deems fit but with clear proof of acceptance by majority members of the tribe.
- No card-carrying member of political parties shall participate in the SNC.
- There shall be no appointees of government.
- The Chairman of the SNC shall be a retired Chief Justice of Nigeria while the Deputy Chairman shall be a retired Justice of the Supreme Court. They shall be male and female. They shall have no voting right. They are merely moderators.
- The Secretariat of the SNC shall be the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly.

C. Funding:
- The Federal Government shall fund the SNC as provided for by the SNC Convocation Act.
- Each Representative at the SNC will receive only a refund of travel costs and provided accommodation allowance of N60,000 per day which is more than sufficient for a Four-star Hotel in Abuja.
- A Sitting Honorarium of N250,000 flat shall be paid to each Representative for the entire duration of the SNC.

D. Duration:
The SNC shall convene for a three month period.

E. Transparency and Integrity of the SNC:
- To ensure the integrity of the SNC, all Representatives shall declare their assets and the Assets Declaration Form shall be published on the SNC website. The Assets Declaration Form shall be notarized and the bank accounts declared shall be attested to by the bankers of the Representative.
- The Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Secretary of the SNC shall similarly declare their assets as if they were Representatives.
- All issues for deliberation at the SNC shall be discussed publicly at plenary sessions of all the Representatives. There shall be no committees.
- A consensus need not be achieved on the issues discussed.
- All issues shall ve the subject of the national referendum.
- All sessions of the SNC shall be televised live by NTA Network using a new broadcast channel created specially for that purpose. All sessions shall be streamed live via the internet. Past sessions shall be archived and made accessible via the SNC website.
- The decisions of the SNC which are ratified by the National Referendum shall be final.
- The National Assembly shall adopt the ratified SNC decisions as law by incorporating into the New Constitution. The New Constitution shall NOT be subject to consent by State Houses of Assembly or assent by the President. This would be made clear as part of the SNC Convocation Act.

An SNC is feasible and imperative.

But most members of the political class (despite religion, section or tribe and including many in the opposition who love to mouth "Sovereign National Conference") are really satisfied with the status quo. They are deluded thinking that Nigeria's problems are not really fundamental and that palliatives will stop the agitation of various groups in the country.

A restructured Nigeria based on the outcome of an SNC would take away the gravy tray from the political elite. Sadly, most human beings do not change because they see the light but because they feel the heat. May that heat not be cataclysmic!

GOD BLESS NIGERIA!


Eghes Eyieyien,
Lagos.

FOR A SOVEREIGN NATIONAL CONFERENCE

I was against a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) because I felt the National Assembly has legitimacy and could amend the Constitution to effect the fundamental changes we require without recourse to an extra-legislative SNC. I have changed my mind. I was wrong. With the activities of Boko Haram and the prevailing tension in our country, I realise now that true prosperity, enduring peace, unity, justice and equity will continue to elude Nigeria until the terms of Nigeria's nationhood are discussed openly, freely and duly renegotiated by the federating nationalities.

Firstly, the membership of NASS is presently unduly skewed to the north-west geo-political zone based on the false population census figures of the last 60 years so other zones are not fairly represented in NASS.

Secondly, most of the present members of NASS have proved to be no different from their greedy and corrupt predecessors and so cannot be trusted to deal with controversial issues such as true fiscal federalism, resource control based on derivation, a unicameral legislature etc. without compromising because of filthy lucre.

Consequently, I now identify myself with the call for a Sovereign National Conference. I still believe in Nigeria. Our existence as a country was God's sovereign act not Lord Lugard's idea. However, we can only build a nation where truth, justice, equity and prosperity reign if we are courageous enough to convene an SNC and assure our children's future is not futher jeopardised as citizens of Nigeria. As we celebrate our 52nd Independence Anniversary, the time is ripe to emplace the constitutional machinery to duly give effect to a Sovereign National Conference.

God bless Nigeria!

PRESIDENT JONATHAN SHOULD SACK SANUSI NOW!

...

"Sanusi behaved as if he was the de facto President of Nigeria. He had cashed in on the weakness of the Jonathan administration to run his own parallel government...It is strange how a man of such sartorial tastes ended up in banking and not showbiz...The profession he chose [is] not for vainglorious and adventurous rabble-rousers." ~ Bashorun Dele Momodu



After reading Dele Momodu's article which he aptly titled " The Bully Called Sanusi" published in his back page column in the Saturday, 22nd September, 2012, edition of Thisday newspaper, the urgency to sack Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the CBN Governor dawned on me.

Sanusi has outlived his usefulness in that hallowed office! His arrogance, infantile flippancy, ineptitude and incompetence should no longer be countenanced. Why he has stayed in office this long despite his folly and foibles is a mystery.

Nigeria needs a new CBN Governor like YESTERDAY! My recommendation for the position is Mr. Ballama Manu. He was the Executive Director, Operations, NDIC; former, Executive Director, Union Bank; former Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service; and former Interim Chairman of the Nigeria Stock Exchange. He would make a great CBN Governor. By the way, he is from Yobe State and a Muslim. If the CBN Governor must be a northern Muslim, there are of course very many others who are imminently qualified: a person like Alh. Ado Wanka (MD of Unity Bank) and Mohammed K. Ahmad (Director General of the Pension Commission) readily come to mind.

But this is not even about section or religion. I am a NON-TRIBALISED (as distinct from "de-tribalised"!) Nigerian. My marriage, close friends, business associates and employees bear testimony to this fact.

Sanusi is an Old Boy of my alma mater (King's College, Lagos) and I used to be his fan. I supported his appointment as the CBN Governor and also spoke publicly in favour his controversial removal of the eight bank MDs. I was on Channels TV's live programme, Sunrise (with Chamberlain Usoh and Suleiman Aledeh as hosts), pushing his suitability for the post the day he appeared before the Senate for his confirmation hearing. I was also on Channels TV's live programme, Business Morning (with Boason Omofaye as the presenter at the time) defending his take-over of the eight banks and the sack of their MDs.

So what happened? Sanusi's imposition of his wrong-headed, illegal, unconstitutional, Malaysia-style Islamic Banking policy exposed him as an Islamist. I subsequently also became aware of his inglorious role in the infamous Kano religious riot which culminated in the beheading of Gideon Akaluka in 1996 and for which he was incarcerated for two years in Sokoto Prison by the government of Gen. Sani Abacha. This vital factual information is, understandable not disclosed in any of his profiles. The Senate was misled by late President Umaru Yar'adua (who ensured that this information was not highlighted in his Security Report) to confirm him as the CBN Governor. I have challenged Sanusi publicly to come clean on this issue or sue me if I have maligned him!

Moreover, his incompetence, profligacy (he now wants CBN to be sponsoring the Super Eagles!! LOL!!) and inane monetary policies have damaged the financial services sector and badly affected our nation's economy.

President Goodluck Jonathan should sack this guy before he does even more damage! It has now reached a crisis point. And the time to act is NOW!!

God bless Nigeria!

ILLEGAL ISLAMIC BANKING AND THE USURPATION OF THE NIGERIAN LEGISLATURE

“There are no provisions in the CBN Act and the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act that empower the CBN Governor to issue a licence for non-interest financial institution to operate under the principles of Islamic jurisprudence without the approval of the Head of State through the Minister of Finance. Unlike the other specialised bank, the Jaiz International Bank Plc can only be established in the country with the intervention of the National Assembly by amending the BOFI Act. This case is hereby struck out for lack of locus standi, but the AGF should take steps to remedy the situation, and further ensure that the CBN carries out its duties within the provisions of the law establishing it”.

........Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Finally, there has been a pronouncement on the vexed issue of the illegal introduction of Islamic Banking in Nigeria by the Sanusi Lamido Sanusi led Central Bank of Nigeria without recourse to the National Assembly to amend the Banks and Other Institutions Act in order to accommodate it. Punch newspaper reported that Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, made the ruling quoted above on Friday, 15^th June, 2012, while giving judgment in the case instituted by Godwin Ogboji against the licence issued to the Jaiz International Bank Plc to carry out Islamic banking in the country. The suit was, however, struck out on the grounds that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi to institute it. However, Justice Kolawole noted that had the plaintiff not lacked the locus standi to initiate the action, he would have nullified the licence issued to the Islamic bank. He called on the Attorney General of the Federation to remedy the situation and ensure that the CBN complies with the law. The story is available online at this link: http://www.punchng.com/news/sanusi-lacks-power-to-establish-islamic-bank-court/

But the issue of the locus standi of the plaintiff is somewhat curious and is bound to generate controversy. Can a bona fide Nigerian citizen not sue an agency of the Nigerian government for actions which would undermine his human and constitutional rights? Or even actions that are blatantly illegal merely because he or she is a citizen concerned about upholding the rule of law? If the Attorney General of the Federation is conflicted because of religious, social, political or even economic reasons and chooses not to act in this particular instance as recommended by Justice Kolawole, what remedy is open to the ordinary Nigerian to ensure that the Central Bank of Nigeria complies with the provisions of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) with regard to Islamic Banking?

I am concerned that, while the judgment of Justice Kolawole is well-intentioned, it is in reality superfluous and unenforceable. The Central Bank Governor had called the bluff of opponents by asking them to “go to court” probably thinking that nobody would do so. The issue of contention had been the manner in which he introduced Malaysia-style Islamic Banking contrary to the provisions of BOFIA which actually already stipulates Profit and Loss Sharing Banking as the form of non-interest banking to be practised in Nigeria. Unlike his predecessors, some of whom were committed Muslims, Sanusi has demonstrated his inability to extricate himself from his Islamic fundamentalism and conduct the affairs of his office without prejudice to the rights and sensibilities Nigerians of other faiths. I expect that the CBN would hurriedly file an appeal against Justice Kolawole’s ruling even though he struck out the suit. To most Nigerians, despite his populist and “radical” posturing, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s Islamist agenda is no longer in doubt.

But even more worrying is the fact that the Seventh National Assembly may still be unable or unwilling to act on the issue of Islamic Banking in order to stop its usurpation by the CBN which has abused its regulatory powers in a manner that is tantamount to legislation as regards this issue. Not a few Nigerians were embarrassed and disappointed when in July, 2011, the National Assembly summoned the CBN Governor to appear before it to clarify the Bank’s position on Islamic Banking and the Cashless Policy only for the Deputy Speaker of the House (Emeka Ihedioha), who stood in for the Speaker (Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal) who was conveniently absent, to prevent the members of the House who had questions for the Governor from speaking. The highpoint of the charade was when some members gave a standing ovation to Sanusi! It is indeed ironic that the same House of  Representatives is about to amend the CBN Act so as to curtail the Governor’s powers simply because its members were incensed by the refusal of Sanusi to submit the CBN’s Budget to it.

The greatest challenge to our fledgling democracy today is impunity. The certainty that there would be no consequences for illegal activities is the bane of our nation. Corruption thrives because of impunity. Government officials at all levels are inept because of impunity. Our people remain impoverished because of the impunity of our Kleptocrats. The Rule of Law is nothing but a mere politically correct slogan mouthed by our “leaders”.

The National Assembly must wake up to its responsibilities and ensure that laws are obeyed especially by government agencies and public servants. It must no longer tolerate the usurpation of its legislative functions by inordinately ambitious public servants like Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

Five Quick-Win Issues for President Goodluck Jonathan's Attention

Most of my friends and acquitances know how I vigorously campaigned for Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to be elected Nigeria's President last year. I believed he was the best choice of the three leading candidates. I still do. While I am disappointed with his performance thus far, I believe he could still make a transformational difference in the next three years of his tenure.

Here are my thoughts on Five Quick-Win issues for GEJ's attention so as to save his Presidency from growing public odium:

1. Immediately arrest and prosecute the sponsors and financiers of Boko Haram in the PDP who are already known to the intelligence agencies as his National Security Adviser hinted publicly some weeks back in Asaba.

2. Affirm his decision not to seek a second term as President which was a "campaign promise" he publicly and voluntarily made early 2011.
3. Remove his non-performing Ministers and other heads of Departments and Agencies; especially the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the Minister of Aviation for their vicarious liability with regard to the fuel subsidy fraud and the crash of the Dana Airline plane.
4. Cancel the Concession Agreement with Bi-Courtney for the re-construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and immediately commence the re-construction of the road with government resources to stop the carnage on that road.
5. Publish his Assets Declaration and ensure the diligent prosecution of all those indicted by various National Assembly Probe Panels for corruption/fraud (Power Sector, Fuel Subsidy, Police Pension, Capital Market etc.) and former Governors and other politically exposed persons indicted by the EFCC/ICPC; particularly in the Halliburton and Siemens cases.

I hope GEJ can muster the will and courage to do the above.

NADINE IS GONE

The Dana Airline passenger manifest for the Abuja-Lagos flight which crashed yesterday, which some person(s) had released without due process and circulating irresponsibly on various social media with no care about the sensibilities of the victims' families and friends, had the name "N. Chidiac" on it.

Could it be NADINE CHIDIAC? I called her number several times. It didn't even ring. I called a... mutual friend to know if it was Nadine. He was not sure but expressed fear that it could be since the name Chidiac, a Lebanese name, was unique in our Nigeria. A while ago, I googled her name and came across her photograph on Dele Momodu's Lockerz page with this written: "What a cruel world, Nadine Chidiac, Rest in Peace!"

So NADINE CHIDIAC is no more?! Unbelievable!! I met Nadine during the Easter weekend in 2003 when my wife and I went to spend the weekend at the Peninsular Resort in Lekki, Lagos. She was then the Manager of the Hotel. I spent time with Nadine in her office and we talked for long like old friends even though we only just met. I shared the Gospel of Christ with her and, though she had been deeply religious and always went to Church, she asked me to pray with her to receive Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Saviour. And so she gave her life to Christ during that meeting. Praise God! We became good friends.

Nadine was was very beautiful, charming, empathetic and professional. She always had friendly smiles for everyone. She left Peninsular Resort soon afterwards and went on to manage Oceanview Restaurant and Robert's Cafe before setting up her own outfit, Nadine Integrated Services Ltd.

Nadine is gone. But I shall see her again.....at Jesus' Feet.

May the LORD give her young daughter (bless her sweet soul!) and her entire family the strength to bear this irreparable loss in Jesus' Name. Amen!

......AND NABIL HANGA IS NO MORE.

It was my friend, Kelechi Deca (Editor-in-Chief of The Economy magazine), that drew my attention to the story of Nabil Hanga's demise and, last Friday, I called my friend and Nabil's boss, Ismaila Zakari, to confirm it. I was deeply saddened and lost for words when he affirmed that Nabil had indeed passed on.

I met Nabil for the first time (and, sadly, the last time!) on Saturday, 29th October, 2011, when he came to present a paper on fighting corruption on behalf of Ismaila Zakari at the Lagos Launch of Stand Against Corruption and Kleptocrats! (SACK!). He was suave, urbane and came across as very intelligent; yet he was somewhat self-effacing and humble. He was only called upon by Ismaila that Saturday morning of the SACK! Launch to represent him as he was part of the NIPSS class set which was due to meet with the President. Nabil dutifully accepted the directive even though he had prior plans for that day. He tried to leave the programme early to meet up the other appointment but conceded to my persuasion that he should stay till we were done.

Nabil died because there was no neuro-surgeon in the hospital to immediately operate on him when he was rushed there. His family and friends raised $100,000 and flew him abroad. But it was too late to save Nabil. Please read his story with this link: http://www.bellanaija.com/2012/05/14/for-nabil-by-anonymous/

It is tragic that such a young and enterprising Nigerian, whose life held so much promise, should die needlessly at just 26 years of age.

Life has become too cheap in Nigeria. In most other nations, because of the immense value they place on human life, people who work in the health sector are among the best paid employees. The reform of our health-care system must include assuring competitive remuneration for our doctors and other health professionals in both the public and private sectors so as to minimise the lure of employment abroad.

May God grant the Hanga family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.