It started like a child’s play. No, we must respect President Goodluck Jonathan’s request for consensus of the majority before any matter is accepted for debate. No, he can’t impose his decision on us. He has no such powers and his fiat can’t work. Enough of him! It was their consensus.
Yes, consensus. Good and simple enough.
However, the seemingly consensus majority agreement has turned to consensus disagreement. Worst still, it has taken a dangerous regional divide. True, the regional bearings are inaudibly mentioned.
But body language, cleavages and muted discussions clearly established the drifts. Temper flared and flayed the delegates as they took veiled and not so veiled swipe at each other, all in the quest to reposition Nigeria along their own concept and precept of one indivisible nation.
So, a simple voting modality turned suddenly delicate has forced adjournment of plenary of the sixth conference that had been inaugurated with pomp and pageantry.
Well, recall that the plenary was abruptly adjourned penultimate day when the issue of voting led to a sharp disagreement among the delegates.
It appears the delegates have learnt well from their counterparts at the NASS, who daily reduced the hallowed chambers to a boxing ring where punches are freely exchanged. That though was temporarily averted.
Peoples Daily heard several delegates from across the divides shout invectives at their colleagues and openly accused one another of coming with a fixed mind and only hearing without listening to each other.
Well, one is amazed that Justice Legbo Kutigi has not tapped from the wealth of experience of Chief Richard Akinjide. Recall that Chief Akinjide had correctly, in the view of National Party of Nigeria (NPN), interpreted two third of 19 states after the presidential elections of the Second Republic.
The legal luminary, who had to be assisted into the hall on account of his age, is a member of the confab. He has so far failed to offer his words of wisdom or rather has simply allowed the exuberant youth to ramble and beat about the bush over simple matter of ¾ or 2/3 of consensus.
Chief Akinjide must surely mock the rambling youth. Who wouldn’t when the simple matter has forced adjournment by one week.
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