VINCENT ADEKOYE, Benin

Professor Omoruyi also counselled the Pro National Conference Organisation (PRONACO) against convoking its Sovereign National Conference (SNC) billed for next June, pointing out that such would also amount to a civilian coup.

The former CDS boss spoke in Benin, the Edo State capital, while delivering a paper at the state’s mini-confab.

The forum was organised to enable Edo citizens to present a common thrust to be made public at the national exercise.

"If the national conference such as yours declares itself sovereign, that would amount to a civilian coup. This means that your act should be made applicable to the other levels of government," he said.
Professor Omoruyi, disclosed that the fear expressed by President Olusegun Obasanjo over the safety of his office is legitimate because past experience in some African countries where such sovereign conferences were held, had shown that it is always a threat to the office of the President.

He cited instances such as in Republic of Benin, the delegates declared the conference sovereign, dissolved the National Assembly and stripped President Kerekou of most of his powers and appointed an interim Government.

In Congo, delegates declared the conference sovereign and stripped President Debi Sasso Nguesso his powers and appointed a World Bank official, Prime Minister and Head of Interim Government.

According to him, in Niger, delegates declared the conference sovereign, suspended the constitution, stripped General Ali Saibu of all powers, dissolved the National Assembly e.t.c.

If the President bestows his power that he has in Section 5 of the Constitution on the National Conference that would mean that the President is abdicating his power. It will be unthinkable that President Obasanjo, short of impeachment, death or resignation, would abdicate office for other reasons.

Speaking at the opening of the mini-confab, Gov. Lucky Igbinedion stated that

As Edos, today, we are embittered by the brazen injustice meted out to us in the federation of Nigeria especially by the operators of the Central government. Take a look at the map of Nigeria today, and you will discover that Edo State is landlocked through manipulation of boundaries
. In a one page communiqué issued at the end of the one day mini-confab, stakeholders agreed that each nationality should be allowed to exist within the federation, with full representation at the Central and regional government and that problems of each ethnic nationality should be given priority attention by Central and regional government.

That the federation be re-structured along strong regional government and weak center The state also resolved that the creation of local government should be controlled entirely by the regional/state government. Elected members of the local government council should be on part-time basis in order to reduce cost All the delegates nominated by the state government attended the mini-confab.