In adopting the 70 per cent voting pattern, the delegates to the National Conference were said to have considered saving the conference from ending abruptly, The Eagle Online has learnt.
At Tuesday’s sitting, the delegates opted to abide by the decision of the ’49 elders’ that 70 per cent of delegates sitting and voting should be used to determine any issue delegates failed to reach a consensus on.
The delegates also rescinded their earlier resolution, which took away the power to appoint committee chairmen from the Chairman of the conference, Justice Idris Kutigi.
With this, the Selection Committee, headed by Kutigi, was empowered to select chairmen and deputy chairmen of committees.
Twenty standing committees were approved by the conference subject to further increase if need be.
The issue of the voting pattern had divided the delegates as those from the North insisted on consensus as the mode for resolving issues while the Southern delegates wanted two-third majority for that purpose.
The decision on the 70 percent voting pattern followed the adoption of the outcome of the Group of 50 elders that met with the leadership of the National Conference last week.
However, the group was reduced to 49 with the absence of one delegate
The Vice Chairman of the Conference, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, told delegates that the elders, otherwise called the “Super delegates”, and the leadership of the conference, met between Tuesday and Wednesday last week where the decision was reached.
Akinyemi added that following exhaustive deliberations, it was agreed that 70 per cent would be preferable and more acceptable to the delegates in reaching decisions if consensus failed.
The implication of the new decision meant that Orders 6 rule 4; 11 rule 2; and 12 rule 4 (e) that proposed 75 per cent or three-quarter of delegates present and voting be adopted where consensus fails have been amended.
Senator Iyorcha Ayu proposed the motion that the amendment be adopted.
The motion was seconded by a former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah, who thanked his colleagues for avoiding the technicality of “winner takes all.”
The question was put and those in support carried the day.
Attempts by some delegates to oppose the adoption of the proposal, which restored the power of Kutigi and his team to select committees’ chairmen and deputy chairman was shot down through a voice vote.
The delegates also adopted the proposed Work Plan of the Conference after several observations on inadequacies in the proposal were raised.
The Secretariat would make necessary corrections, Kutigi promised.
Group classification meant to reach individual delegates if the need arise was also adopted by the delegates.
Delegates were also asked to indicate three committees they would want to belong.
Former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Peter Odili, commended his colleagues for the maturity displayed during the consideration of the decision of the conference leadership and the group of 50 elders.
Odili said the outcome of the elders’ meeting was indicative of a successful outcome for the conference.
He said: “It is the decision of the conference that was popularly removed.
“I think it is a step forward from where we were last week.”
Hassan Rilwan also commended the elders for being able to resolve a rather sensitive issue amicably.
Rilwan said: “I believe that the decision of the Chairman to constitute the elders group was excellent because it shows that we, as delegates, and by extension Nigerians at large are ready to reach agreement on any issue, no matter how contentious.
“It is a good sign that there is hope after all.
“If the elders can bring this issue of voting method to a situation where everybody was satisfied with the outcome, then there is no issue that we cannot compromise on.
“All we need is dialogue.
“By the time we talk with ourselves, there won’t be any room for suspicions.
“In other words, I am in no doubt that the outcome of this Conference would be to the satisfaction of all Nigerians and the growth of this country.”
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