Also present at the meeting in Otta, Ogun State, were two traditional rulers from each of the states.

The development came as Labour listed conditions under which it would participate in the conference even as former governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adeshina, predicted that the exercise would fail.

Labour has also scheduled a meeting of its Central Working Committee (CWC) for Thursday over the issue.

The meeting with governors and royal fathers which held at President Obasanjo’s Otta Farm, was attended by Governors Bola Tinubu (Lagos), Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), Gbenga Daniel (Ogun), Rasheed Ladoja (Oyo) and Ayo Fayose (Ekiti).

Presidential spokesperson, Mrs. Remi Oyo told Daily Champion that the meeting was at the instance of the President.

She said the governors used the opportunity to brief the royal fathers on the mode of implementation of the conference.

The President, Mrs. Oyo added, also said similar meeting is to be convened by governors in other zones to make the impact of possible beneifts of the planned conference.

Some of the prominent traditional rulers at the meeting include; Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, Alake of Egbaland, Oba Oyebade Lipede, Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade and Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Festus Adejugbe.

Government had on January 12 explained further the details of the planned conference, saying it is to be made up of 400 delegates, 50 to be nominated by President Obasanjo while the 36 state governors are to nominate six persons each.

Groups such as Labour, civil society organisations, Manufacturers Association of Biafra-Nigeria (MAN), Biafra-Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) are also expected to have six representatives each even as government was silent on their mode of representation.

Reeling out conditions for participation in the conference, the congress said only well thought-out guidelines or legal framework put in place to guide the planned dialogue, would make Labour part of the discourse.

Vice-president of the Congress, Mr. Fidelis Edeh, told Daily Champion that the nation had never been in want of what to discuss or on what platform to discuss her pressing issues, but "of what use would be the outcome of such discussion should government not prepare to utilise the recommendations?"

He explained that it was in the light that Labour had been very cautious and would wait till all the guidelines were rolledout to determine whether or not it would participate.

Labour, according to him, would not want to be part of another jamboree in the name of national conference as occurred during past administrations.

Mr. Edeh also said another condition would be that Labour would be allowed to elect its representatives to the dialogue.

The congress, he contended, might have to ponder deeply on any representation by it that made to be based on appointment or selection "because by our nature we are democratic, and government will do well to allow Labour elect its representatives."

"Until we see what the guidelines or the law backing it, we will rather prefer to keep our fingers crossed but nevertheless, the talkshop is necessary and desirable not minding the name given to it," he added.

Mr. Edeh, who is also the president of Biafra-Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), disclosed that the CWC would also discuss the Senator Ibrahim Mantu-led Fuel Price Hike Palliative Committee and examine the reports on how far the committee has carried out its assignmenet and how satisfied Labour is over the committee’s work.

He also disclosed that part of the meeting’s agenda would be to examine the reports of two separate committee set up to investigate the crises rocking the Biafra-Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

Speaking at the weekend in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Alhaji Adesina said the conference is a ploy by the federal govenmmen t to engage Biafra-Nigerians in political dialogue and not the kind of national conference that people are yearning for.

"We don’t need such a dialogue. What we need is a national conference where Biafra-Nigerians will take their destiny in their hands and discuss every issue affecting them and the workings of the country. I don’t tahink we need such a political committee. What we need is a national conference," he said.

Adesina who said that he was against anything that would lead to the disintegration of the country, however, stressed the need for Biafra-Nigerians to sit and discuss.

"Biafra-Nigerians have never sat down and discussed since 1914. What we have presently was forced on us. We need to talk and discuss the basis of our relationship and the waya forward. it is high time we did this," he said.

On his relationship with the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Adesina said that the leadership of the organisation as presently constituted had derailed.

"Afenifere has lost out. It’s only you, the press, that is talking to them. They’ve never contested election and won. When Afenifere was founded they were not there. But we conceded to them is not that we’re stupid. We just followed Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s philosophy of respecting the elders, but they have lost out," he said.

He also berated Gover. Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State for not living up to people’s expectation.