Below is an article published by YallAfrica

More ethnic nationalities have registered their protest with the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation over alleged exclusion from the national conference which will commence on Monday [17 March 2014].

The ethnic nationalities in separate letters to the federal government, expressed displeasure that not a single member of their ethnic groups has been included in the confab, saying this is bound to deny them the chance to say their minds and contribute to the process of nation building.

Those that have joined the protest include the Ogoni people of Rivers State and the Nupe from Niger State.

The Ogoni in a letter by the President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, said after reviewing the list of delegates, it is shocked that while some ethnic groups are represented by over 40 delegates they have no representation at all.

"For us specifically, in spite of the huge sacrifices we have made in our pioneering struggle for justice in the Niger Delta and democracy in the country as a whole, we are appalled that even out of the list of 15 delegates from the South South, while some ethnic groups are represented by upwards of five delegates, not even one of our people was considered for inclusion", the letter said.

The Nupe ethnic group in their own letter said out of 90 delegates that will be representing the interest of ethnic nationalities, the Nupe have been omitted.

"The danger in the omission is that when various categories to the confab are meeting to take positions on matters, the voice of Nupe, the number four ethnic nationality, will be conspicuously missing as presently no representatives are nominated to champion the cause of the Nupe," they stated.

The ethnic nationalities called on the federal government to address the anomaly.