From Mike Osunde (Benin) and Yetunde Majekodunmi (Lagos)

The workers, who unfolded their agenda at the weekend in Benin, Edo State, also asked its delegates to canvass that the talks should not be restricted to political reforms.

NLC President, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, told journalists that the new constitution, which would receive input from the conference, should cut the enormous powers of the President and governors, especially in the appointment of ministers and special aides.

Oshiomhole said that although the NLC endorsed the retention of the presidential system of government, the envisaged constitution should specify the number of ministers and aides that should form the cabinet.

He argued that the freedom given the President to pick his team had resulted into an over-bloated cabinet, with its harmful consequences on the economy.

"We believe the constitution can be reformed in such a way that the discretionary powers of the President to determine the number of ministers and advisers should be limited by law. The same is valid for states," he said.

In his opinion, the problems inherent in the system were with the various actors, because the presidential system did not say the "president must have 40 ministers and God knows how many special advisers and special assistants."
Oshiomhole said the congress also believes in the principle of federal character but that it was being abused and so had made it suspect on the part of many Nigerians.

He suggested that the principle should be applied more justly, given the fact that there was no part of Nigeria that could not boast of competent men and women in all fields of human endeavours.

He said the problem in implementing the principle had been that of nepotism, undue favouritism and corruption.

Oshiomhole also commented on the separation of powers and said the NLC would canvass a reform that would insist that the Executive arm must not ignore judicial pronouncement of the legislature, and that money should not be spent when such amount had not bean appropriated.

The NLC also discussed the issue of federalism and concluded that Nigeria could benefit from the principle of true federalism as well as downsizing the centre in favour of the states by putting more resources in the states and less at the federal level.

"In other words, even the principle of federalism must also take on board the principle of fiscal federalism. So you cannot practice one and leave the other," he said.

Oshiomhole added that the NLC subscribes to the retention of the constitutional provision that cover directive principles on state policies, but argued that the principle could be of doubtful, value if the issues contained were not justifiable.

He advised that constitution should be amended to make economic and social rights justifiable, otherwise they would have no value to the ordinary Nigerian.

He also said that since the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) document was one of the working papers of the confab, it behoves on the delegates to critically review NEEDS with a view to assisting the government to evolve an economic policy that favours most Nigerians.

The NLC also opposed calls for state police, adding that for democracy to survive, the electoral system should undergo radical changes that would make the agency independent of the executive.

Oshiomhole noted that if the discussions were limited to political reforms, ordinary Nigerians would not gain from them.

Oshiomhole said: "If we reduce the confab merely to political issues without the economic content, for majority of our country men and women, they will not really see the relevance between this debate and their material conditions."
The NLC President who spoke just before the end of a two-day meeting of NLC's Central Working Committee (CWC), said that Labour preferred an all-inclusive approach to the debate at the conference.

Oshiomhole said that the CWC, which discussed various issues was unanimous that the delegates should not be teleguided through the "so-called no-go areas."
"All the issues must be discussable," stressing that the NLC believes in the oneness and indivisibility of Nigeria as a nation, and would therefore continue to champion the cause of its unity.

He, however, said that those who have contrary views should be accommodated, arguing that to deny them the opportunity would not be helpful to Nigerian cause.`