National Conference Kicks Off Today, March 17

The National
Conference kicks off on Monday, March 17, at
the National Judiciary Institute (NJI) in Abuja.
President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to
inaugurate the confab at 4 pm.
492 delegates comprising various the ethnic
nationalities, professional bodies, and political and
civil society groups are expected to participate.
The delegates have started arriving in Abuja for the
conference already on Sunday.
The confab that will last for three months is meant
to provide a platform for Nigerians to discuss
issues of their common concern.
Earlier, however, the FG announced that the issues
of the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria
were a no-go area.
The conference will also advise the government on
the legal framework, procedures and options for
integrating the decisions and outcomes of the
national conference into the constitution and laws
of Nigeria.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and
Publicity, Reuben Abati, in an interview with Punch
disclosed what President Jonathan's expectation
was that the dialogue would be about Nigeria and
its future and not about "narrow interests".
The conference will be chaired by retired Justice
Idris Kutigi.
Security measures tightened
The government has tightened security in Abuja
ahead of the inauguration of the National
Conference.
The military, police anti-riot squad, anti-bomb unit,
Federal Road Safety Corps and State Security
Services are involved in organising security
arrangements.
Hundreds of security personnel have been
deployed to the NJI.
Ambulance buses have been positioned at the
venue for emergency operations during the
conference.
Besides, the organisers have adopted special
accreditation procedure to ensure that every
conference delegate including security agencies,
journalists and other officials are subjected to
biometric data capturing before being issued a
conference tag.

Sent From David Aniemeka