Gov. Liyel Imoke of Cross River has called for a legal framework to incorporate the decisions of the proposed National Conference in the Nigerian Constitution.
He made the call in Calabar on Friday when the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue paid him a courtesy visit at government house.
Imoke, represented by his Deputy, Mr Efiok Cobham, said that his proposal, if considered, would ensure that the huge finances and time expended by Nigeria on the conference was justified.
According to him, the long awaited national discourse should not be allowed to be “another talk shop where decisions reached will be confined to the dustbin of history’’.
The governor cited the Political Reform Committee report and the Oputa Panel report as some of the reports that had not seen the light of the day years after they were received by the Federal Government.
Imoke commended President Goodluck Jonathan for ensuring the actualisation of the discourse and yielding to the age-long demands by Nigerians on the matter.
He urged the Sen. Femi Okurounmu–led committee to ensure that various inputs from stakeholders form the agenda for discussions at the conference.
Earlier, Okurounmu told the governor that the committee was in Calabar as part of its nationwide tour to collate the views of Nigerians on the modalities for the conference.
Okurounmu said that as much as possible the committee would comply with the directives of the president to ensure that there are no “no go areas’’ and that the discussions were made by Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Akpan Abasi, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for constituting the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue.
Speaking when he received members of the committee in his palace, the Obong assured the Committee that people in his kingdom would attend its interactive session with stakeholders.
