A delegate at the National Conference, Dan Nwanyanwu, says the conference, adjourned till  August 4, has been successful so far but has also opened up old wounds.

When the delegates resume they will go through the reports and recommendations made so far and adopt them for signature.

Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Mr Nwanyanwu said that issues surrounding the derivatives were because certain “people didn’t want the conference to hold or succeed”.

He noted that the conference had sought ways gray areas hindering the progress of the nation could be addressed with a reliable solution proffered.

“The system we are operating today has not moved us forward and cannot move us forward, if we continue to apply the same solution to the old problems that have failed definitely we will get the same answers,” Mr Nwanyanwu, who is also the National Chairman of the Labour Party, said.

Towards the end of the conference, issues around how revenue from crude oil should be shared amongst Nigerian state resulted in disagreements that were not resolved.

The delegates could not reach a consensus on the derivation principle after days of trying to decide what percentage would go to the oil producing states.

While most of the delegates from the north approved the recommendation of the committee to have the derivation retained at the present 13 per cent, most delegates from the south-south and southeast said derivation should be increased from the present 13 per cent to between 21.5 and 50 per cent.

He criticised certain delegates that avoided responsibilities given to them, describing the recommendation by the leadership for the Federal Government to set up a committee on the derivation principle issue and how the revenue should be shared.

Other contentious  issues at the conference were that of the devastation that mining activities have caused in the oil producing communities, which Mr Nwanyanwu pointed out had not been addressed and the five per cent fund from the oil revenue for the development of other solid mineral resources across the country.

Mr Nwanyanwu commended “patriotic” delegates that did their job and criticised delegates that were influenced by their governors while deliberations were on on the derivation principle.