The National Conference has cancelled faith-based prayers during all its sessions, a fallout of the objection made by Pastor Tunde Bakare when Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi, said a brief Muslim prayer last week.
This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the conference secretariat’s Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications, Mr James Akpandem.
“At the inaugural sitting presided over by the Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi, delegates agreed that the second stanza of the National Anthem should be adopted as the opening and closing prayers for all sittings,” Akpandem said.
“Faith-based prayers were ruled out.
“Delegates also agreed that except for very special cases of physical incapacity and serious health concerns, sitting arrangements in the chamber of the conference should be in alphabetical order.
“Although, a delegate raised the issue of allowances for aides of delegates, it did not achieve popular acclamation,” he added.
Akpandem listed the working documents already with delegates to include the Report of the Constitutional Conference, 1995 (Containing the Draft Constitution) Vol. 1.
“The delegates also have the Report of the Constitutional Conference, 1995 (Containing the Resolutions and Recommendations) Vol. 2.
“Further, they have the Report of the Political Bureau (March, 1987), the Main Report of the National Political Reform Conference, 2005 and the Implementation Guide of the National Political Reform Conference, 2005.
“Also, they have the Report of the Presidential Committee on Review of Outstanding Issues from Recent Constitutional Conferences (Main Report) July 2012.
