The National Conference was officially brought to a close today with President Goodluck Jonathan making a promise to implement all the recommendations of the conference.
The 21 volume final report of the conference was handed over to Jonathan by the conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi in Abuja on Thursday during the closing ceremony at the National Judicial Institute premises.
Jonathan said with the peaceful conclusion of the conference, the delegates had disappointed those who predicted that it would be another exercise in futility.
He said: “After nearly five months endeavour to find the appropriate verb for the noun of our country within the syntax of human experience, you have brought to a grateful nation, the report of the 2014 National Conference. I want to congratulate the Chairman and his able team, the Delegates, all Nigerians and indeed everyone who has contributed one way or the other to the successful convocation and conclusion of the Conference.
“We cannot afford to take for granted the efforts and commitment that the delegates and the leaders put into the Conference to make it a success. The patriotic zeal was evident in the inputs of the delegates into the dialogue and how these have now formed the basis of the report.”
Jonathan added that the successful completion of the conference was also an indication of the resolve of many Nigerians to live together peacefully irrespective of their differences.
“The result of the conference has shown that we are not enemies, neither are we antagonists, no matter our religion, region, state, and tongue. This Conference has reinforced what I have always believed: that Nigeria is here for our collective good.
“To my mind, one of the main reasons for which the Conference was convoked was fully achieved: that is, to create a platform for a genuine and sincere dialogue among Nigerians. Even in moments when things seemed ready to boil over, it was evident that the delegates were only disagreeing to agree.
“It is now very clear that as Nigerians, we have devised a way of addressing and resolving our differences amicably: we dialogue and dialogue until we agree! This is most heart-warming indeed.” he said.
While paying tributes to delegates who died during the conference, Jonathan explained that some of the recommendations of the conference will be considered by the National Council of State, while the remaining ones will be sent to the National Assembly for ratification incorporation into the Constitution.
He said: “My dear brothers and sisters, I am not unmindful that there were delegates who were in this hall when I inaugurated this conference who today are not part of this closing event as the cold hands of death have snatched them. I pray that Almighty God will grant eternal repose to the souls of our departed patriots and protect all the families they have left behind. They would be proud of what you, their living colleagues, have done to end what we started together.
“We shall send the relevant aspects of your recommendations to the Council of State and the National Assembly for incorporation into the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“As I receive the report of your painstaking deliberations, let me assure that your work is not going be a waste of time and resources. We shall do all we can to ensure the implementation of your recommendations which have come out of consensus and not by divisions.”
Jonathan called on all the relevant government agencies to which some of the recommendation would be sent to ensure speedy implementation.
