We have been duped, hoodwinked, taken for a ride. We were warned, but we refused to listen



Over the years, we sat still and believed their premise
-That the PDP were evil and that they were good.
-That the PDP was corrupt and they were pure.
-That the PDP did not believe in democracy, but that they (ACN) were the voice of the people.

But like it is said in Yorubaland, If lies have a 20 year headstart in the race, the truth will always reach and overtake it.


Our faith in the ACN in the South-West rose with the profile of one and only one man - Babatunde Raji Fashola.
We saw him as an example of good governance, and wrongly believed that everyone in ACN would turn out to be like him.

Alas, we were wrong.


So,  here we are full circle, and the  we glance to our backs and see the truth fast approaching.

Fashola is now going through fire. The owners of the party have decided to spare him since he cannot be touched without the people in Lagos revolting. But others haven't been so lucky.

We watched as Lagos ACN primaries turned into a step-down and appointee affair.
- First it was Senator Olorunnibe Mamora - Arguably one of the best Senators in Nigeria, who was told to step down so that a relatively unknown fellow could take his place. It is said that the devil you know is better than the angel you don't know; however, I ask, is the angel you know better than the devil you don't know??

- Next, Fashola's deputy governor is already on the cutting table, soon to be dropped.

- Third, we watched as Remi Tinubu was handed one Senatorial Seat ticket.

- Fourth, Sade Tinubu, was then handed a ticket to the House of Representatives

- Fifth, Her husband who is from Ikogosi-Ekiti was handed his own House of Representative Ticket in Ekiti.

And all this time, we wonder what happened to internal democracy?? What happened to party primaries?? What is the meaning of "Consensus Candidate"??

If a party in power chooses unpopular candidates, does that no indicate a willingness to rig at the general election??

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We then go to Oyo state, where Senator Ajimobi won the gubernatorial ticket without the primary taking place. All in the name of consensus candidate. The assembly and representative seats were handed out to chosen individuals.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let us now move to my state. Ekiti State.

We clamored, fought and kicked over the governance of Segun Oni of the PDP, A man who came 3rd in the 2007 primary. A man who we know was rigged into power. We hoped that Kayode Fayemi of the ACN ( A man who also did not win his party primary) would be our saving grace.

He came into power a few months ago and has begun to show his true colors.

First on the list was the Ekiti Senatorial Tickets. Only one of the 3 belonged to ACN. That was the seat held by Senator Bode Ola - A man who fought a battle with Femi Kila of the PDP for more than 2 years at the election Tribunal to recover his mandate.

The party primary for the Ekiti North and South positions was supposedly conducted, and was followed by outcry from the other contestants.
On the same day, the Ekiti Central position primary was supposed  to be held, but was said to have been disrupted.
Two days later, the same fate befell the Assembly and Representative primaries. Gov Fayemi was accused of sending his own list of candidates for declaration.

As of today, which is the INEC deadline, the party is yet to conclude these primaries yet a list is supposedly on the way to INEC right now.

It is now said that the Ekiti Central Senatorial ticket has been handed over to Babafemi Ojudu by Gov. Fayemi, despite the fact that the incumbent has only held that seat for 18 months, and would very likely had won the primary had it been held.

This brings us to the questions

-What exactly do we do with the ACN??

-Are we the yoruba people supposed to trade in our shackles of the PDP and accept that of ACN, Tinubu, Fayemi, and Bisi Akande?? Or are we to begin searching elsewhere for our "saviors"??


In conclusion,

We, the people of Ekiti, are a difficult people, and we will not be bound by those that wish to enslave us for their own selfish purposes.

We have put our faith in man. And we have failed.

Psalm 146:3 Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation

Keep dreaming!!!!!!
ACN is advancing throughout the federation,

Sjupid!

Another PDP supporter on the loose.

Check the alternative in south-west, Daniel Akala Adedibus oyinlola Obasanjo

For now, we are with ACN, if they mess up we vote another party.

Now you can try again.

^^^^^
why not be open minded and listen to him

In as much as i dont believe regional parties, AD used 2b d party in sw b4 tinubu and his likes tore it apart to form AC >ACN in order 2b a godfather. His corrupt practices and godfatherism will eventually leads to the undoing of ACN.

OP is mostly correct. ACN is no different from the PDP, and in some ways worse. Even Fashola who is doing well, they are trying to frustrate him.

I've not given up on my governor (Fayemi) yet though. I'm deeply concerned by the lack of internal democracy in Ekiti State but willing to give him more time to amend the situation.

And I don't need to talk further about Tinubu's evil agenda; OP has gone through everything.

alj harem:

^^^^^
why not be open minded and listen to him

he has nothing sensible to say. there is no need to listen to the !diot. My state has no house, is any of the cases comparable to the PDP in the southwest?

@Akanbi_Edu: Be open minded. Look at some of the things Tinubu is doing. You know that they are wrong.

We cannot keep silent and pretend that everything is OK.

http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201101142361054

PUNCH NEWSPAPER

Aggrieved aspirant predicts ACN defeat in Ekiti
By Femi Makinde, Ado-Ekiti
Friday, 14 Jan 2011
 
A Senatorial aspirant in Ekiti South, Mr. Wale Adebola, has said that the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria might lose the state to the opposition parties if the party refused to address the alleged imposition of candidates in the primaries.

Adebola said this at a press conference in Ikere-Ekiti on Thursday.

He expressed shock that Mr. Tony Adeniyi who came second was declared the winner of the senatorial primaries in Ekiti South.

He called on the party to put its house in order in order to avoid the negative consequences of working against the popular wish of the people.

He said, “I learnt on good authority that the opposition parties are already strategising and rejoicing over our inability to practice the principles and justice that we preach and by extension, what this portends is possible disintegration or abysmal loss in coming elections.”

But, Adeniyi, who denied being imposed on the party, said that he worked for the party and the leadership of the party in the five wards in the district compensated him by zoning the seat to him.

He said that his emergence as the ACN flag-bearer would ensure that the people of the senatorial district vote en masse for the party.

He denied the allegation that he was imposed on the party by Governor Kayode Fayemi.

I thought zoning referred to a geographical location. It seems it has become a person thing.

"The Governor zoned it to me" . . . abi??

Below is a user comment to this news article from Ekiti.com

Oluwalose Ajayi  at   2011-01-15 07:09:04    Wrote:

Please let Fayemi hear this. Like Gideon in Judges 8, God overthrew his enemies and gave him victory, but instead of glorifying God, he is playing harlot with the power. For this reason, says the Lord of hosts,the power shall be a snare unto him and his household. Tell him to beware and give honour to whom it's due. He should allow justice and equity to prevail in Ekiti, otherwise God is ready to take the kingdom Wy from him and give to his neighbour. He has ears. let him hear what the Spirit of God is saying to the unjust and corrupt leaders in Ekiti.

eku_bear:

@Akanbi_Edu: Be open minded. Look at some of the things Tinubu is doing. You know that they are wrong.

We cannot keep silent and pretend that everything is OK.

Everything is not OK I agree.

Bear, I have been reading your posts and I think they are very intelligent like the case you are making for privatization of PHCN. However, ther is one thing you lack, I call it local intelligence. You don't understand many things about Nigeria.

Tinubu isn't perfect but he has to do what has to do. Ever wondered why he is the only surviving opposition to the PDP in the southwest?

Timehin:

In as much as i dont believe regional parties, AD used 2b d party in sw b4 tinubu and his likes tore it apart to form AC >ACN in order 2b a godfather. His corrupt practices and godfatherism will eventually leads to the undoing of ACN.

he has destroyed AD

people even in afenifere do not agree with his views

not to talk of lagosians

Just like the isrealites when they were just delivered from slavery in Egypt. They encountered a little problem and started blaming Moses, that he should have left them in slavery, that they were better off in slavery.

Omo adie o mo awodi, Iya e lo'mo asa.

Akanbi_edu:

Just like the isrealites when they were just delivered from slavery in Egypt. They encountered a little problem and started blaming Moses, that he should have left them in slavery, that they were better off in slavery.

Omo adie o mo awodi, Iya e lo'mo asa.

you don't understand

ACN is not the problem here, it is tinubu that is the problem

he almost impreached fashola because of 11 billion naira that tinubu tax company can not account for

fashola and other ACN members are good

but tinubu is not at all

@Akanbi_Edu: If you can explain to me why Tinubu is justified in installing his relatives in office, then I'll be at peace. If he was not doing this one thing, I could give him the benefit of the doubt. But to me, this seems a tremendous evil.

You cannot be leader of the Yoruba people and also at the same time fulfilling your own personal objectives. You can pick one or the other, but not do both.

eku_bear:

@Akanbi_Edu: If you can explain to me why Tinubu is justified in installing his relatives in office, then I'll be at peace. If he was not doing this one thing, I could give him the benefit of the doubt. But to me, this seems a tremendous evil.

You cannot be leader of the Yoruba people and also at the same time fulfilling your own personal objectives. You can pick one or the other, but not do both.

You are quite right. I think it's a situation where his interest coincides with the "yoruba interest"

jensinmi:

We have been duped, hoodwinked, taken for a ride. We were warned, but we refused to listen



Over the years, we sat still and believed their premise
-That the PDP were evil and that they were good.
-That the PDP was corrupt and they were pure.
-That the PDP did not believe in democracy, but that they (ACN) were the voice of the people.

But like it is said in Yorubaland, If lies have a 20 year headstart in the race, the truth will always reach and overtake it.


Our faith in the ACN in the South-West rose with the profile of one and only one man - Babatunde Raji Fashola.
We saw him as an example of good governance, and wrongly believed that everyone in ACN would turn out to be like him.

Alas, we were wrong.


So,  here we are full circle, and the  we glance to our backs and see the truth fast approaching.

Fashola is now going through fire. The owners of the party have decided to spare him since he cannot be touched without the people in Lagos revolting. But others haven't been so lucky.

We watched as Lagos ACN primaries turned into a step-down and appointee affair.
- First it was Senator Olorunnibe Mamora - Arguably one of the best Senators in Nigeria, who was told to step down so that a relatively unknown fellow could take his place. It is said that the devil you know is better than the angel you don't know; however, I ask, is the angel you know better than the devil you don't know??

- Next, Fashola's deputy governor is already on the cutting table, soon to be dropped.

- Third, we watched as Remi Tinubu was handed one Senatorial Seat ticket.

- Fourth, Sade Tinubu, was then handed a ticket to the House of Representatives

- Fifth, Her husband who is from Ikogosi-Ekiti was handed his own House of Representative Ticket in Ekiti.

And all this time, we wonder what happened to internal democracy?? What happened to party primaries?? What is the meaning of "Consensus Candidate"??

If a party in power chooses unpopular candidates, does that no indicate a willingness to rig at the general election??

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We then go to Oyo state, where Senator Ajimobi won the gubernatorial ticket without the primary taking place. All in the name of consensus candidate. The assembly and representative seats were handed out to chosen individuals.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let us now move to my state. Ekiti State.

We clamored, fought and kicked over the governance of Segun Oni of the PDP, A man who came 3rd in the 2007 primary. A man who we know was rigged into power. We hoped that Kayode Fayemi of the ACN ( A man who also did not win his party primary) would be our saving grace.

He came into power a few months ago and has begun to show his true colors.

First on the list was the Ekiti Senatorial Tickets. Only one of the 3 belonged to ACN. That was the seat held by Senator Bode Ola - A man who fought a battle with Femi Kila of the PDP for more than 2 years at the election Tribunal to recover his mandate.

The party primary for the Ekiti North and South positions was supposedly conducted, and was followed by outcry from the other contestants.
On the same day, the Ekiti Central position primary was supposed  to be held, but was said to have been disrupted.
Two days later, the same fate befell the Assembly and Representative primaries. Gov Fayemi was accused of sending his own list of candidates for declaration.

As of today, which is the INEC deadline, the party is yet to conclude these primaries yet a list is supposedly on the way to INEC right now.

It is now said that the Ekiti Central Senatorial ticket has been handed over to Babafemi Ojudu by Gov. Fayemi, despite the fact that the incumbent has only held that seat for 18 months, and would very likely had won the primary had it been held.

This brings us to the questions

-What exactly do we do with the ACN??

-Are we the yoruba people supposed to trade in our shackles of the PDP and accept that of ACN, Tinubu, Fayemi, and Bisi Akande?? Or are we to begin searching elsewhere for our "saviors"??


In conclusion,

We, the people of Ekiti, are a difficult people, and we will not be bound by those that wish to enslave us for their own selfish purposes.

We have put our faith in man. And we have failed.

Psalm 146:3 Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation

Iagree with the post 100% and i am predicting the fall of ACN in few years , 2015 they would be swept away like tsunami again and a repeat of 2003 would happen unless Tinubu is urgently checkmated. He finances the party we all now but financing does not mean the will of the people should be subjugated .

Oyo state primaries was a shamble and a delgate posted the report on NL this morning and explained how a list was sent in from Lagos without ward leaders knowing the candidates  being put foward to INEC.

Shame on ACN and they are just wolf in sheeps clothing.

Babafemi Ojudu would now have the guts to report rigging in his THE NEWS magazine after been illegally given the ticket without primaries,  Honestly i am begining to think evey person singing injustice in Nigeria is not doing so out of sinceity but personal losses

I see the search for good governance is everywhere in Nigeria.

eku_bear:

@Akanbi_Edu: If you can explain to me why Tinubu is justified in installing his relatives in office, then I'll be at peace. If he was not doing this one thing, I could give him the benefit of the doubt. But to me, this seems a tremendous evil.

You cannot be leader of the Yoruba people and also at the same time fulfilling your own personal objectives. You can pick one or the other, but not do both.

If he can install non-relatives, why not relatives if they are qualified for the job. And yes personal objectives actually drive the collective ones

If not for Fashola, who would know or care about ACN?
It is a simple but, real question.

Akanbi_edu:

If he can install non-relatives, why not relatives if they are qualified for the job. And yes personal objectives actually drive the collective ones

What qualification does any of them have? And please do not come up with the MARKET woman qualification list or you will make me feel even more guilty that we insulted Etteh for being a mere hair dresser

alj harem:

you don't understand

ACN is not the problem here, it is tinubu that is the problem

he almost impreached fashola because of 11 billion naira that tinubu tax company can not account for

fashola and other ACN members are good

but tinubu is not at all

ACN is Tinubu's personal business. Period.
All Nigerian parties have problems, people point at PDP, but ACN is actually much worse, especially with assassinations and all contracts ending up in Tinubu's pockets.
The ACN presidential primaries were a real disgrace compared to PDP's. The Fashola's of the party need a good plan to eject Tinubu or I see them decamping and ACN dying in the near future.

Beaf:

ACN is Tinubu's personal business. Period.
All Nigerian parties have problems, people point at PDP, but ACN is actually much worse, especially with assassinations and all contracts ending up in Tinubu's pockets.
The ACN presidential primaries were a real disgrace compared to PDP's. The Fashola's of the party need a good plan to eject Tinubu or I see them decamping and ACN dying in the near future.

So you now like PDP because they picked GJ? Na wa oo for Nigerians

Beaf:

ACN is Tinubu's personal business. Period.
All Nigerian parties have problems, people point at PDP, but ACN is actually much worse, especially with assassinations and all contracts ending up in Tinubu's pockets.
The ACN presidential primaries were a real disgrace compared to PDP's. The Fashola's of the party need a good plan to eject Tinubu or I see them decamping and ACN dying in the near future.

gbamm

well supported

It is very disturbing to see some people come here and make statements like "PDP has done worse so what ACN is doing doesn't matter" or "Tinubu has to do what he has to do". You guys have shown that you completely lack the moral justification to ever accuse PDP again of any wrong doing. I have been shouting it for a long time that all the parties are the same. I just found out I was wrong. ACN is far worse than PDP. There was no primaries at all from state assembly to presidential. What a mess and a big scam. Mark my words, PDP will sweep most of the west come April.

I wonder why some Yorubas keep trying to form a Yoruba party. This is 2011 not 1979. ACN does not even have secretariats in states like Cross Rovers, Kebbi, Sokoto and many others and you think they will win the presidency? They are a big joke. ANPP and CPC is now bigger than ACN. I just watched the ANPP convention and it was well organised in Abuja like the PDP convention. ACN goes and organise a presidential primaries in Lagos. They keep telling the whole Nigeria that they are nothing but a regional party. Maybe that is what Tinubu really wants. A regional party. I used to respect Ribadu a lot until I saw him contesting on the platform of ACN. This was the same Ribadu that wanted to arrest Tinubu and said Tinubu had a case to answer. Tinubu on the other side accused Ribadu of being used by the then president, OBJ. Now they have become strange bed fellows all in the name of politics. No shame at all. I wont be suprised to see Atiku returning back as it really fits his profile. Sometimes you dont even know who to believe anymore. I feel very sad for Nigeria.

Just when PDP is turning the leaf by conducting very free and fair elections all over the country, ACN is putting their foot on the reverse gear. Shame! Shame!! Shame!!! Jonathan has already written his name on the sands of history by conducting the best election (PDP primaries) Nigeria has ever seen. Even better than June 12. And there is no reason he wouldn't do the same in April because he is going to win by a landslide! Gbam!

I live in Lagos and I love Fashola but I might voe against ACN. They are pathetic and a big let down. Even their supporters who comment here in NL are making a mess of the already bad situation.

_{[s]^^^ Would you also vote PDP because of Amaechi or Chime in Enugu? Fashola is only an individual who happens to be a member of the ACN Party. Open your eyes and think well of what ACN, the party has really done for the People to learn why it is probably not in your best interest.  [/s]}

Read your retort there wrong!

ACN is like PPA owned by 2 individuals, Tinubu and Uzor Kalu respectively.
They have 3 things in common: zero internal democracy, corruption and Godfatherism. PPA almost took the whole East before our eyes were opened and I feel the same thing will happen with ACN.

The only democratic and progressive party in Nigeria is APGA. Everyone should join them to claim their states back from thieves.
Anambra did it and we are all happy.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=584949.msg7522250#msg7522250

,

edicolove:

It is very disturbing to see some people come here and make statements like "PDP has done worse so what ACN is doing doesn't matter" or "Tinubu has to do what he has to do". You guys have shown that you completely lack the moral justification to ever accuse PDP again of any wrong doing. I have been shouting it for a long time that all the parties are the same. I just found out I was wrong. ACN is far worse than PDP. There was no primaries at all from state assembly to presidential. What a mess and a big scam. Mark my words, PDP will sweep most of the west come April.

I wonder why some Yorubas keep trying to form a Yoruba party. This is 2011 not 1979. ACN does not even have secretariats in states like Cross Rovers, Kebbi, Sokoto and many others and you think they will win the presidency? They are a big joke. ANPP and CPC is now bigger than ACN. I just watched the ANPP convention and it was well organised in Abuja like the PDP convention. ACN goes and organise a presidential primaries in Lagos. They keep telling the whole Nigeria that they are nothing but a regional party. Maybe that is what Tinubu really wants. A regional party. I used to respect Ribadu a lot until I saw him contesting on the platform of ACN. This was the same Ribadu that wanted to arrest Tinubu and said Tinubu had a case to answer. Tinubu on the other side accused Ribadu of being used by the then president, OBJ. Now they have become strange bed fellows all in the name of politics. No shame at all. I wont be suprised to see Atiku returning back as it really fits his profile. Sometimes you dont even know who to believe anymore. I feel very sad for Nigeria.

Just when PDP is turning the leaf by conducting very free and fair elections all over the country, ACN is putting their foot on the reverse gear. Shame! Shame!! Shame!!! Jonathan has already written his name on the sands of history by conducting the best election (PDP primaries) Nigeria has ever seen. Even better than June 12. And there is no reason he wouldn't do the same in April because he is going to win by a landslide! Gbam!

I live in Lagos and I love Fashola but I might voe against ACN. They are pathetic and a big let down. Even their supporters who comment here in NL are making a mess of the already bad situation.

good one

must people are blind, i tell you

Obiagu1:

The only democratic and progressive party in Nigeria is APGA. Everyone should join them to claim their states back from thieves.
Anambra did it and we are all happy.

I don't advice people vote parties at all. We have no parties right now with solid ideologies -- most of what we have are clubs filled with individuals who are all too willing to ride the bus to success .

^^^

I agree with you, no one should vote for parties but sometimes, party matters.

A party where godfathers abound is of no use because it means endless looting.

In APGA, they try to elect credible people as much as they could (though humans can change while in office) but the most important aspect of APGA is that it has no godfathers. You’re answerable to your people only and when you fail, you have no godfather to blame. Internal party mechanism allows for checks in case you start drifting away from the party’s principles.

Obiagu1:

^^^

I agree with you, no one should vote for parties but sometimes, party matters.

A party where godfathers abound is of no use because it means endless looting.

In APGA, they try to elect credible people as much as they could (though humans can change while in office) but the most important aspect of APGA is that it has no godfathers. You’re answerable to your people only and when you fail, you have no godfather to blame. Internal party mechanism allows for checks in case you start drifting away from the party’s principles.

I don't think using the presence, or none, of Godfathers to measure a party's competency is wise. That a godfather is absent in APGA does not mean APGA has no corrupt members that are sitting and waiting to benefit from power handed over to the party. I do not believe even APGA passes the test when it comes to what a serious political party should be about and stand for . . .  I don't believe any single party out there today even comes close. That is why I say it is, in my opinion, best for Nigerians to continue to vote ONLY THOSE who clean and qualified records . .  not those they are sentimentally attached to or those of their ethnic group.

Obiagu1:

^^^

I agree with you, no one should vote for parties but sometimes, party matters.

A party where godfathers abound is of no use because it means endless looting.

In APGA, they try to elect credible people as much as they could (though humans can change while in office) but the most important aspect of APGA is that it has no godfathers. You’re answerable to your people only and when you fail, you have no godfather to blame. Internal party mechanism allows for checks in case you start drifting away from the party’s principles.

obiagu1, i do not think people should join apga for any reason

but you can say people or parties should learn from apga type of party