Musikilu Mojeed and Gbade Ogunwale

The Secretary to the Conference, Rev. Father Matthew Kukah, told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that the mistakes should be left for history to judge.

He said, “I think we have to leave our leadership style at the conference to the judgment of history. We made mistakes genuinely and collectively. We made mistakes because we are human beings.

“But everybody who participated in this conference did his best. But as human beings we are prone to mistakes.”

Kukah said those who criticise the NPRC Chairman, Justice Niki Tobi, for the way he handled the proceedings failed to appreciate his patriotism and commitment to the unity of Nigeria.

He said, “We love the chairman because we found that he had an incredible love for the unity of Nigeria.

“Some of the criticisms arose because he did not behave in the typical Nigerian fashion, because he did not stand up for his people.”

The Conference Co-Secretary, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said those condemning Tobi’s handling of the conference were doing so without considering the tenets of justice and fair play.

Oloyede said, “If justice Tobi had championed any sectional interest, he would have been condemned. He didn’t do that but he was still condemned because the critics already had a frame of mind.”

One of the sore points of the conference was the walkout by delegates from the South-South in protest against the procedure that was adopted in recommending 17 per cent as derivation formula.

But Kukah insisted that despite the walkout, the conference was a huge success.

He said, “With the recommendations that have been made, I am looking forward to a greater nation.

“Every member of the conference emphasised a united Nigeria. They all wanted a nation based on justice.”

He commended the National Assembly for the way it received the report of the conference from President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Meanwhile, the secretariat of the conference has announced that copies of the report of the NPRC were now ready for collection by the 400 delegates.

A statement by the facilitator of the conference, Mr. Bala Kaoje, advised delegates residing around Abuja to visit the International Conference Centre between August 1 and 5 for collection of their copies.

It added that the report would be made available through the state liaison offices for other delegates who reside outside Abuja.

The report is to be mass-produced and made available to all members of the National Assembly, universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

The PUNCH, Friday, July 29, 2005