Confab: North Attempt To Destabilise Creation Of New Southern States Stopped...

The Northern stance against the reshaping of the power configuration in the country was turned down yesterday by Justice Idris Kutigi.
The Northern delegates had come up against the Southern delegates in an attempt to reverse the positions adopted last week.
The delegates had last week agreed on the creation of new states and local governments as a way of balancing the benefits enjoyed by the North.
The Northern delegates had planned to yesterday repeal the conference’s position on the birth of new states.
It all began yesterday, immediately after the opening prayers when Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, representing Sokoto State objected and said the procedures were full of errors.

But as he gave his speech the Arena was filled with shout of “No, no,’ ‘name the page properly.’ With Dingyadi voice covered with the cries, some defiant Northern delegates threatened to walk out and cripple the conference if their wish was not adhered to.

They insisted that the Confab's job was to...continue after the cut...
state how new states should be made and not state where and which landmarks become a state.

One Abdullahi Ohoimah a delegate under the Elder statesmen umbrella asked for another state to be made in the Central zone, stating he felt cheated it was not included in last week's list.

Another delegate, John Dara from the North Central Zone said the proposed Kainjii state will be comprised of emirates from Niger and Kebbi.
Representing the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Issa Aremu was against the new proposal stating that the current states were not viable and the proposal will make the Confab a mockery.
Meanwhile Oba Aderemi Adedapo who represents the platform of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria and the Alayemore of Ido Osun, requested on the creation of Oduduwa State with capital in Ile Ife .
He stated that citizens have wanted such a state for over 3 decades now by the Council of Obas in Yoruba land  and his new proposal will have a total population of 1.7 million and land mass of 8,000 square kilometres.
Oba Adedapo's statement was the only time the conference wasn't a shouting match between the Northern and the Southern delegates in yesterday's debate.

It took the help of Nigerian diplomat Professor Ibrahim Gambari to calm the nerves of the delegates yesterday when he warned them that they are abusing the voice vote in the conference especially on issues that affect unity and security of the country.