Jonathan’s Confab and its Foundational Brouhaha

The National Conference popular known as Confab initiated by the President Goodluck Jonathan has barely taken off, yet it has been bedeviled by key foundational challenges that may threaten its success and eventual outcome.

While the idea of the Confab by the Presidency was greeted with mixed feelings by both within and outside the political class, the recent release of the list of participants which has generated intense controversy, has further worsen fears that the exercise may be another jamboree.

The mere fact that two key ethnic nationality:Ogoni and Itsekiri whose lands have large deposit of oil and gas aside their strategic geographical locations were excluded from the 483 delegates for the Confab is a major foundational error or omission that has already drawn wild agitations that is threatening the Confab.

There are also agitations trailing representations from some professional bodies, labour and other groups which will also not augur well for the Confab.

The colossal amount of money to be expended on hotel accommodation, transportation and logistics as well as other sundry expenditures at a time when most government MDAs are facing obvious paucity of fund is also another cause for concern, particularly when the outcome of the exercise if it finally comes out smoothly will still be subjected to the National Assembly instead of a referendum leaves much to be desired.

The take of this piece is that there is the likelihood that President Jonathan’s Confab may create more challenges for his administration, if not the country if the controversy so far generated is not properly managed.

Editor-In-Chief

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