Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger on Wednesday advocated the selection of 977 delegates to represent different interest groups in the country during the proposed National Dialogue.
Aliyu made the suggestion when the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue visited him in Minna.
He told the committee that the delegates would ensure that interests of the various stakeholders were adequately represented.
Aliyu suggested that a delegate should be selected from each of the 774 local government councils in the federation while another 100 delegates should be selected to cater for the interest of the special groups.
Aliyu said 37 delegates, one each from the 36 states and the FCT, be chosen to represent traditional rulers in the state.
“Each state should allow traditional rulers to select one of them to represent them and canvass issues that affect them,” he suggested.
Aliyu said the delegates must understand the issues being canvassed at the conference and be able to communicate appropriately to defend their people’s position on relevant issues.
He also reiterated his opposition to the call for a Sovereign National Conference, saying that it would only weaken the democratic institutions in the country.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Femi Okurounmu told the governor the committee was in the state to collect inputs from stakeholders to enable them prepare the framework for the conference.
