Conference of Nigeria
FINAL CONFERENCE REPORT PAGE 2
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
AGITATIONS FOR NATIONAL CONFERENCE:
A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
1.1 BACKGROUND
1.1.1 The Federal Republic Nigeria with a population of approximately 170 million,
located in West Africa, has 36 States, 774 Local Government Areas and the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja. The country has had a history of national dialogue that has
impacted on its constitutional and political development. In different phases of the 100
years of Nigeria as a nation from the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern
Protectorates on January 1, 1914 to the convocation of a National Conference in
March 2014, the nature, character and prospects of national conferences have been
turning points in the history of the country. Each phase has had a defining moment as
a result of the issues, demands, struggles and movements peculiar to it.
1.1.2 The history of constitutional and political development has shown that
conferences for nation-building can be classified into three: -Constitutional, National
(non-sovereign) and Sovereign. A constitutional conference is concerned with the
sole aim of developing a constitutional framework or making proposals for
constitutional changes within the existing constitutional framework. It has limited
scope – Constitution making for the purpose of nation-building, through which the
rules and principles of political pluralism, the role of the state, citizenship rights and
duties, protection of fundamental human rights, etc., are defined
1.1.3 A National Conference is a formal platform for dialogue by constituent units of
the nation convened by the national government of a country to discuss issues or
problems that inhibit national progress or challenge national cohesion. A National
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
AGITATIONS FOR NATIONAL CONFERENCE:
A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
1.1 BACKGROUND
1.1.1 The Federal Republic Nigeria with a population of approximately 170 million,
located in West Africa, has 36 States, 774 Local Government Areas and the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja. The country has had a history of national dialogue that has
impacted on its constitutional and political development. In different phases of the 100
years of Nigeria as a nation from the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern
Protectorates on January 1, 1914 to the convocation of a National Conference in
March 2014, the nature, character and prospects of national conferences have been
turning points in the history of the country. Each phase has had a defining moment as
a result of the issues, demands, struggles and movements peculiar to it.
1.1.2 The history of constitutional and political development has shown that
conferences for nation-building can be classified into three: -Constitutional, National
(non-sovereign) and Sovereign. A constitutional conference is concerned with the
sole aim of developing a constitutional framework or making proposals for
constitutional changes within the existing constitutional framework. It has limited
scope – Constitution making for the purpose of nation-building, through which the
rules and principles of political pluralism, the role of the state, citizenship rights and
duties, protection of fundamental human rights, etc., are defined
1.1.3 A National Conference is a formal platform for dialogue by constituent units of
the nation convened by the national government of a country to discuss issues or
problems that inhibit national progress or challenge national cohesion. A National
WWW.PREMIUMTIMESNG.C
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