The Lagos State Chapter of the PDP on Tuesday advised Nigerians against allowing the controversy over the role of the National Assembly to be a clog in the progress of the planned national dialogue.
Nigerians hold divergent views on whether the outcome of the dialogue should be subjected to the National Assembly for ratification or not.
The likely outcome of the dialogue has consequently, dominated discussions at the on-going consultations by the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference.
On Oct. 1, President Goodluck Jonathan announced the setting up of the National Conference Advisory Committee, chaired by Sen. Femi Okunrounmu.
The Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Taofik Gani, told News Agency of Nigeria that “the issue of sovereignty is not enough to mar the planned dialogue.
“There have been agitations over the planned dialogue being called sovereign national conference.
“I see this as an issue of semantics which cannot stop the confab.
“What matters most is that there will be a platform for all ethnic and interest groups in Nigeria to have their say on how they wish to be governed.”
According to him, as soon as the confab kicks off, every other thing will fall in line.
“What is most important now is to ensure that the dialogue kicks off successfully.
“Those opposing the confab are the ones fuelling the issue of sovereignty so as to mar the dialogue.
“The first and major step is to come to a round table. Once that is done, all other issues agitating the minds of Nigerians will be tackled,” he said.
The party spokesman, however, blamed the National Assembly for failing in its role in providing adequate laws that would have made life easier for Nigerians.
“If the lawmakers have lived up to expectations, the issue of a national conference and the agitation may not have come up,” Gani said.
He, however, urged leaders, especially politicians to assist the dialogue committee in ensuring that the confab was successful and that the polity was not over-heated.
