By Olusegun Emmanuel, Abuja.
…recommends right of southerner to contest elections in the north
In a bid to address the indigene-settler questions in the country, the National Conference Committee on Citizen and Immigration has recommended the right to contest and be voted for by any southerner in northern region of country and vice versa for a northerner to contest in election and be voted for in southern region provided such person meets his basic civic obligation.
This is contained in the report of the committee submitted on today and a copy of which was obtained exclusively by our correspondent.
In its recommendation under indigeneship/settler dichotomy, the committee: “Adopt and amend item No. 26, page 28 of the Report of the Presidential Committee on Review of Outstanding issues from recent Constitutional Conference( The Justice Alfa Belgore Report), with a caveat read: On the matter of Indigeneship, the committee recommends that the current Constitutional position should be maintained but that a new provision should be inserted into the constitution to read:
” The right of any Nigerian citizen to be resident or domiciled in any part of Nigeria should be recognized. Such a resident shall enjoy all rights, privileges and facilities in the place of his / her choice, provided that such a person meets his/her choice, provided that such a person civic obligations.”
