By CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & DAPO AKINREFON
AFTER series of postponements, eminent leaders of thought, statesmen and politicians across the six geo-political zones will converge on Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, tomorrow to begin a two-day political summit on the way forward for the country.
Convened by Project Nigeria (National Consensus Group) in conjunction with the National Political Summit Group, NPSG, the confab will hold at Le’Meridien Hotels & Resorts, Uyo.
The two-day summit, with the theme National Security and Political Stability in Nigeria, according to Malam Nasser Kura, Head of Communications, summit secretariat, would be jointly chaired by two elder statesmen from northern and southern Nigeria.
Some of the key participants nominated to play strategic roles at the confab include all former Presidents/Head of State and their deputies; all former governors and their deputies; all former service chiefs; 21 leaders of thought from each of the six geo- political zones; three first class traditional rulers from each of the six geo-political zones and six national Muslim leaders and six Christian leaders from across the nation.
Others are 18 leading women advocates in the country, 18 labour and civil societies’ leaders, 18 youths from across the federation, six leaders of persons living with disability and 21 leaders of leading political parties in the country.
Why we’re meeting — Nwabueze
Speaking on the goals of the summit, Professor Nwabueze (SAN), one of the leaders, dismissed insinuations that the purpose of the confab is to take a decision to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from seeking re-election in 2015.
He said: “This is very far from the truth. The purpose of the Uyo summit is to agree on a road map to stability, progress and unity of Nigeria. The entire aim of the summit is to build national consensus on how to save Nigeria.
“As I said in my interview with the press after The Patriots met with President Jonathan, the President is perfectly eligible to seek re-election in 2015 and he is free to do so.
“It is a matter in his absolute discretion to decide whether to run or not to run in 2015. My position on this matter is totally irrelevant.
“Therefore, my personal advice to him not to run is only one factor that he should take into account in deciding for himself whether to run or not to run.
“My advice is purely a personal one and not that of either The Patriots or Project Nigeria, organisers of the national summit, and has nothing to do with the Uyo summit as the question of election is not also a matter listed on the agenda of the summit.”
We’re not part of it — NNSG
Meanwhile, the Alhaji Tanko Yakasai-led Nigerian National Summit Group, NNSG, has distanced itself from the summit.
In a statement, Yakasai said the clarification became imperative because of the “numerous inquiries and clarifications sought by discerning Nigerians that have, over the years, rightly associated the NNSG with the task of organising genuine dialogue to address the myriad of problems facing Nigeria through national conference.
He said the group had been working for the convocation of an all-inclusive national conference, “drawing participants from the grassroots, to dialogue on the future of our country with a view to strengthening the bonds of unity.
“We believe that our strength as a nation, as diverse and multi-ethnic as could be, rests squarely on our common resolve to address our challenges in an atmosphere of peace, conviviality and fraternity, and not confrontation to existing realities.”
Consequently, Yakasai said the NNSG intends to consult Nigerians on the need to convene a national conference and would “at no distant time release an already-prepared structured time table for zonal consultations and all requisite modalities leading to the convening of a national conference/dialogue.
“The problems of our country today are too endemic for revelry and ceremonies in the name of national political summit.”
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