Asemota Replaces Nyiam On National Dialogue Panel - PM News, Lagos

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Chief
Solomon Asemota as a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on
National Dialogue.
He replaces Retired Col. Tony Nyiam who resigned from his position.
This is contained in a statement signed on Tuesday by Mr. Sam
Nwaobasi, the Special Assistant on Media to the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation, Chief Pius Anyim.
The statement said that Asemota, a legal icon, would assume duties
with the committee on Wednesday.
Nyiam resigned from the committee on 3 November following a tiff with
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state.
The incident occurred in Benin during the committee's town hall
meeting in the state.
Meanwhile, Nyiam in his letter to the SFG justified his attack on
Governor Adams Oshiomhole and also explained why he quit the panel.
"After several meetings and wide consultations with the progressives,
self-determination and civil society movements and in order not to
cast as a distraction or be used as an excuse to destabilize the noble
cause the President has put before us, I Col. Tony Nyiam rtd have
decided to withdraw from the Presidential Advisory Committee on
National Dialogue," Nyiam said in the letter dated 3 November.
"I will from now on, work with colleagues from outside, using all
peaceful and democratic means to bring our many decades of aspirations
to fruition," he added.
Nyiam said Governor Oshiomole had twice shifted the meeting with the
Advisory Committee on that day.
He noted that "When eventually granted audience, the Comrade Governor
proceeded to give us a background on why he is vehemently opposed to
the initiative of any leader daring to convene a National Conference.
The background story was essentially a lecture on how the Governor of
Edo State was, ironically, more a Kaduna-made man than an Edo
indigene.
"This was followed by a tutorial on how we were deluded to see
anything of significance in the opportunity Nigerians are being given
to dialogue amongst themselves.
"One instance of the Governor only knows, is his self opinionated, and
sarcastic question: who initiates a process towards a meeting without
a pre-conceived agenda?