FCT Proposes 500 Delegates For National Dialogue Based On Election To Be Conducted By INEC. How Can?

The FCT MInister's Committee on the National Dialogue has proposed a total 500 delegates nationwide to participate in the proposed National Dialogue.

Dr Aliyu Modibo, who presented the memorandum of the Minister's committee, said out of this three representatives from each of the Senatorial Districts should be elected by their people.

``Others should be drawn from recognised non-governmental organisations, including traditional institutions and civil society organisations,'' he said.

Modibo made the submission at an Interactive Session for the Submission of Memoranda to the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue in Abuja, on Wednesday.

He said that the outcome of the dialogue should be ratified by the National Assembly after a referendum would have

been conducted to get the approval of the Nigerian people.

``We stand on the position that the indivisibility, stability and unity of Nigeria must be sacrosanct as we go into the dialogue.

``We also want the structure of Nigeria, including devolution of power, local government system and creation and the issue of state creation discussed at the national dialogue,`` Modibo submitted on behalf of the FCT people.

He said that the issue of internal security, special affirmative action on the education of original people of Abuja, the land tenure system and political administration of the FCT should be also be discussed.

Modibbo said that the creation of state police, removal of immunity clause, constitutional roles for traditional rulers

should also be part of the agenda of the conference.

``By 2015, we estimate that the population of Abuja would have reached 15 million. So, we demand that five per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund should be allocated for the FCT administration.

``We also demand that a separate legislative organ be created for the FCT.

``The MInister of the FCT should be addressed as Administrator with a 4-year fixed tenure period and that a separate judiciary should be created for the FCT for improved justice delivery,`` Modibo said.

Modibo, a former Minister of the FCT, added that the Dialogue must look into compensation for the original Abuja people in the forms of special education consideration, and other concessional affirmative policies provided for them.

``Resettlement compensation is desirable for the people originally living in Abuja and the compensation should not

be about giving money or land,`` he said.

Meanwhile, the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International in a submission to the committee proposed 654 delegates for the conference adding that the composition of the delegates should be based on the six geo-political zones of the country.

It also proposed that INEC should conduct election for the selection these delegates and that the issue of national identity and gender balance must be discussed.

The Northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in its submissions suggested that the dialogue should hold for six months.

They also want resource ownership to be discussed during the dialogue.

``The terms and conditions of our union with rights to self determination must be guaranteed by the conference,`` it submitted. (NAN)