Elder Statesman Edwin Clark has called on the 12-man Northern Committee on Restructuring to consider 2014 National Conference Report while considering other previous documents, conferences and position papers.
Clark made the call in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
The elder statesman while commending the inauguration of the committee led by Gov. Aminu Tàmbuwa of Sokoto to collate views from the North on agitation for restructuring, said considering the 2014 conference report was necessary.
According to him, the report contains 600 recommendations that would be useful in the course of the Tambuwal-led committee’s work.
He added that the delegates to the national conference, which cut across all geo-political zones and various sectors of the economy, x-rayed previous reports before coming up with recommendations.
“It must be remembered that the North fully participated at that all embracing conference and all Northern representatives were signatories to the 600 recommendations made.
“It is reassuring to know that two of the members of the Tambuwal committee, Emir of Gunmi , Justice Hassan Gunmi and Gbong Gwon Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba were delegates to the 2014 conference.
“It is worthy to note that the idea of looking into the 2014 conference report and the idea of restructuring have been muted in several quarters.
“Some of the persons who have addressed the very important issue of restructuring included the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Sa’ad Abubakar and Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon(retd).
“Others are former Military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida(retd), former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi 11.
“They have all thrown their weights behind the calls for restructuring of the country, as contained in the speeches they made in different fora,’’ he said.
Clark said some of the recommendations in the 2014 conference report that were crucial to the restructuring of the economy included state autonomy and boundary adjustment.
According to him are, other recommendations includes creation of states, creation of anti-corruption courts, gender balance and rotation of presidency among the six geopolitical zones as well as re-adjustment of some government offices for transparency and accountability.
He said:“Nothing inimical or detrimental to any section of the country was discussed or recommended by the conference to warrant it being condemned or manipulated by some unpatriotic Nigerians.
“It must also be remembered that delegates from the South-South zone also participated fully in the celebrated 2014 conference and endorsed all recommendations of the conference.
“There was no dissenting voice nor a minority report. It is therefore a breach of trust by some delegates of the conference to disassociate themselves from the collective decision taken by all 492 delegates.
“It is also not true that the Northerners were in the minority.
“In fact, of the 23 committee chairmen appointed to chair the 20 committees, 12 were chaired by people from the North while 11 were chaired by people from the South.’’
Clark urged Southern governors and leaders of major ethnic groups including Afenifere, Ohaneze and Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) to meet with Northern governors and traditional leaders to harmonise positions at the conclusion of Tambuwal’s committee report.
He also urged the Federal Government to organise, coordinate and provide a secretariat for the meeting.
Clark expressed hope that with the inauguration of the committee, some Nigerians, who had condemned restructuring, would have a change of mind.
The statesman said that restructuring the country does not mean breaking up, adding that it was about the creation of a new Nigeria where all citizens would be equal.
He also noted that restructuring was about a Nigeria where the federating states or regions were able to develop at their own pace under the practice of Fiscal Federalism.
“We believe that with restructuring, we can achieve a permanent peace in the Niger Delta and across the country as a whole.
“I am confident that a new Nigeria in which peace, equity and justice will reign will be born after the harmonization of the ideas of the various groups.
