Defecting govs, senators should lose seats - Confab committee

Tribune – IF the recommendations of the committee on political parties and electoral matters of the ongoing national conference finally sail through, the issue of cross-carpeting by elected political office holders, as currently the issue in the National Assembly, will be effectively addressed.

National conference

The committee has recommended that all elected and appointed office holders in the country, who defect from their political parties to another, would automatically lose their offices or seats.

The committee, co-chaired by two former Senate presidents, Ken Nnamani and Iyorchia Ayu, also recommended independent candidacy and unbundling of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A member of the committee and leader of Ondo State delegates to the conference, Mr Remi Olatubora, made these resolutions known to newsmen in Abuja, while speaking on the progress of its assignment.

According to him, INEC should be split into two, with one body responsible solely for registration and regulation of political parties in the country, while the other would be responsible for conduct of elections.

He added the committee also recommended that Federal Government be constitutionally stripped of its role in providing subventions to political parties, saying this would forestall a situation in which the nation’s scarce resources were frittered on sponsoring political parties.

Olatubora, the Ondo State Commissioner for Technical and Vocational Education, said the committee was unanimous in the decision that any governor, senator, House of Representatives member, including all elected and political office holders, would lose their seats automatically if they defected to another party.

He said the provision of  freedom of association, as enshrined in the existing constitution, should not be misconstrued, saying no right was absolute.

Speaking on independent candidacy, Olatobura said: “We are all of the view that one other means through which we can strengthen internal democracies in political parties is to make provision available for independent candidates.”

Also, members of delegates committee on devolution of power, on Thursday, proposed 100 per cent devolution of power from federal to the states and local government areas in the country.

The committee also agreed that the regulation of arms and ammunition in Nigeria should be under the Federal Government’s jurisdiction and retained under the current exclusive legislative list.

However, at the resumed sitting on Thursday, the issue of resource control, when raised, almost tore the committee apart, until the co-chairman, Victor Attah, abruptly suspended the issue and called for the adoption of minutes of Wednesday’s proceedings.

The co-chairmen of the committee, Attah and former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie, were not left out in the controversy, as they differed on the issue of resource control.

Attah, in his remark, said he believed that there was oil in the North and efforts must be made to explore it, instead of over-reliance on the oil from the Niger Delta.

But the former IGP, in his contribution, said the oil that had been at the centre of controversy had led to stagnation of all economic resources in the country.

Meanwhile, members of the committee have unanimously agreed that the regulation on arms and ammunitions should be under the purview of the Federal Government, as currently in the constitution.

The former IGP and Co-chairman even if state police was established, acquisition of arms and ammunition must pass through the Office of the Inspector General of the Police.

He, however, noted that Nigeria was not ripe yet for state police, pointing out that there was the tendency for the governors to use them against the political opponents.

Committee seeks creation of additional states

Delegates under the committee on political restructuring and forms of government, on Thursday, backed agitation for the creation of one more state in the South-East. in the interest of justice and fair play.

The committee, headed by General Ike Nwachukwu (retd) unanimously agreed that with the creation of an additional state in the South-East, every Nigerian would now have a sense of belonging.

They also agreed that every other region agitating for the creation of more states should get it on the basis of merit.

Senator Femi Okurounmu, while making his argument, said there should be creation of more states to meet growing demands.

He said there should be the same number of states in every zone in the spirit of fairness, adding however, that delegates must be mindful in order to avoid the abuse of the process.

Binta Masy Garba, advocated the creation of Saudana State in the North, while also giving nod to the creation of an additional state in the South-East in the spirit of fairness.

Yinka Odumakin, while making his presentation, said states had become tenants to the Federal Government.

He said states must have the capacity to look inward and create their own revenue base, instead of becoming slaves to the Federal Government. He said the practice where governors come to Abuja at the end of every month to collect salaries must be discouraged.

Addressing journalists after the committee adjourned its sitting till 10.00 a.m. on Monday, the chairman, General Nwachukwu, said by supporting the creation of an additional state in the South-East, delegates had shown that everyone could have a win-win situation.

Defecting govs, senators should lose seats - Confab committee