ABUJA– There has been a noticeable reduction in the number of aides servicing the delegates at the National Conference as the Confab enters its third week.
Some of the delegates with a large retinue of aides ranging from drivers to Personal Assistants had, in the first week, asked that the confab authorities make provision for their aides. The confab management had however declined.
The number of Aides of the delegates during the first week was more than 492, the actual number of delegates at the conference.
Vanguard reports:
The huge number of delegates’ aides at the first week of the conference made the number of people at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja, venue of the National Conference very large and rowdy.
The conference hall of the institute where the plenary holds was also rowdy and full to capacity during first week.
Delegates at the on-going national conference
Another reason the delegates may have decided to withdraw their aides could be the non extension of food being served delegates to their aides.
Also, with the insistence of Kutigi that there was no allowance for aides, delegates with aides became responsible for the hotel accommodation and other welfare packages for their aides.
Aides of the delegates were almost being seen loitering and grumbling over hunger.
Drivers were seen being sent outside to buy food for them following the non provision of food.
Most delegates, as a result of their reduction of aides now, are being seen carrying their files themselves, contrary to what obtained at the conference the first week.
The insistence of the confab secretariat that there would be no allowances for aides, saves controversies among delegates over the issue, as such would have compelled most delegates to drag their friends, close relatives and office workers to the conference to benefit.
Some delegates, who spoke with Vanguard on the issue, commended the conference management for the decision, saying accommodating aides by being given the allowances and special packages would have triggered crisis among delegates.
“I would have asked by younger ones with no serious things doing yet to join me here.
“Some of us who are relatively young and without aides but who are delegates here must have called even our friends to join us here as aides because we can’t allow such happen.
“Whether you are a former governor, senator, retired general, IG or whatever here, we are all equal here as delegates,” one of the delegates that would not want his name in print told Vanguard.
