10th July, 2014
The National Conference sitting in Abuja on Monday constituted an 18-member Reconciliation Committee made up of three leaders from each geo-political zone.
The committee is expected to reconcile delegates on the report of the Committee on Devolution of Power, the 20th committee which considered the Derivation Principle and National Intervention Fund for the North East
The 20th committee had recommended a National Intervention Fund, which would be five per cent of the annual revenue accruing to the account of the Federal Government.
It said that the fund shall be used for the stabilisation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas affected by terrorism and insurgency in the first instance in the North East of Nigeria.
However, there was disagreement on the phrase: “and any other parts of the country affected.”
Delegates from the southern wanted the phrase to be retained but their northern counterparts disagreed.
Northern delegates wanted the phrase to be: “North East, North Central, North West and any other part of the country.”
The disagreement made it impossible for the report to be presentd by Prof Ibrahim Gambari.
Chairman of the conference, Justice Idris Kutigi consequently adjourned plenary till Monday.
Kutigi announced that the leadership would meet the 50 “wise men” and all committee chairmen and their deputies earlier constituted, on Friday to resolve contentious issues.