Why I Was Afraid To Implement 2014 Confab Report—Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has explained why his government was afraid to implement the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference.

The conference was attended by no fewer than 500 Nigerian delegates who sat for five months deliberating about the political system and future of the country.

They passed more than 600 resolutions and produced a 10,335-page report, which was submitted to Jonathan.

He promised to implement them, telling delegates’ leaders, “We shall send the relevant aspects of your recommendations to the Council of State and the National Assembly for incorporation into the constitution.

“On our part, we shall act on those aspects required of us in the executive.”

Some of the key highlights of the confab were scrapping the current system of 774 local authorities to save money and reduce corruption, enabling states to set up their own local systems, and creating 18 new states—equally spread around the country. It also suggested that states wishing to merge can do so if certain conditions are met.

The confab also recommended revenue allocation where the share of national income going to the federal government is reduced and the share for the states is increased, a modified presidential system of government that combines the presidential and parliamentary systems of government. The president should pick the vice-president from the legislature

The delegates also recommended that power should be shared and rotated at all levels of government. The presidency should rotate between north and south and among the six geopolitical zones of the country. Likewise, the governorship post should rotate among the three senatorial zones in each state

But speaking when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Afenifere Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, in Lagos, Jonathan said the political situation in Nigeria at the time was too turbulent to accommodate the presentation of the recommendations.

According to him, the 2014 National Conference would not have come up without the contributions of people such as the late Adebanjo.

Adebanjo died on February 14, 2025, in Lagos. He was 96.

Jonathan said that several people had kept asking why he did not implement the recommendations of the conference.

He stated that most Nigerians do not know that there was a lot of political turbulence in the country at that period.

He said that a key member of the legislature, who was in his party, mobilised against him and moved to another party.

Jonathan added that some people were ready to bring his administration down at that time.

“It was not the time we could present such a document.

“Thank God for everything. We believe that one day, one government will review it and take everything,” he said.

He said the recommendations came from credible Nigerians who were not politically influenced.

“We believe the outcomes are still very relevant for our society.”

Why I Was Afraid To Implement 2014 Confab Report—Jonathan is first published on The Whistler Newspaper