Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Wednesday said the Action Congress of Nigeria is set for the emergence of leaders of the party in a rancour free environment with all of the plans well laid out.

Governor Fashola who spoke in an interview with newsmen at the Lagos State secretariat of the Action Congress of Nigeria after the final meeting of the National Executive Committee of the Party before its National Convention expressed the optimism that all of the officials and leaders of the party would implement the plans in a transparent and democratic manner for the development of party processes from the ward to national congresses.

While responding to a question on what should be the lessons to be learnt from the restoration of stolen mandates, Governor Fashola said going by the restoration of mandates that have taken place from 2003 to now, the single item in the electoral process is that substantially the elections have not been free and fair and the votes of the people have not counted.

He added that the fortitude of the candidates of the Action Congress of Nigeria have shown that those who want democracy must be ready to persevere and endure for it and struggle for it.

Said he: “Unlike in some cases, where some parties have lost faith midway, it has rekindled the process and sent a strong message to those who rig elections that no matter how long it takes, we will recover back the mandate.

“It has a lot of deterrence effect, but there is still a lot of work to do to deter election riggers, to decommission and to punish them”.

Also speaking with journalists on what to expect from the Action Congress of Nigeria in the next general elections, former Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said ACN is a party that is consistent and steady with its principles, a party that is people focused and ready to change Nigeria.

In his words: “You have a party like the Peoples Democratic Party that has been in power since 1999, today you can summarise this government and party. They have not been able to provide stable electricity, there is increasing poverty and unemployment among our youths.

“There is no steady education programme, education is regarded as the greatest weapon against poverty in this country, yet it is not making any progress. No principle of constitutionalism and federalism being adhered to, There is interference all over the place”.

“They have failures all through, infrastructure, employment, education and roads. Point to any tangible thing. This is the time for such change”.

While supporting calls for punishment of election riggers, Asiwaju Tinubu said there should be criminal investigation of all those who are involved such as politicians and INEC officials including security agencies.

“There is no irregularity that is possible without a collusion, either INEC, the political party or security agencies. All such areas should be looked into, not punishment alone, but block future irregularities”, Asiwaju Tinubu explained.

Earlier while giving an insight into preparation for the Congresses of the ACN the National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande said the party is preparing for its Congresess and the national convention.

Chief Akande added that the party would hold congresses at the ward level to elect ward executives, local government executives of the party as well as elect state executives of the party culminating in the election of national executives of the party on December 16.

Chief Akande explained that the Congresses will start on Thursday in all States of the federation with the exception of five states namely Sokoto, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers, Bayelsa and Lagos which have issues to be sorted out such as the late commencement of registration and the integration of the membership register in Lagos into the national register of the party.

On possible talks with the Congress of People for Change(CPC), Chief Akande said ACN has never began any talks with party, stressing that it was true that he met General Buhari and both leaders decided to set up a committee which met and adviced that both parties should operate from the same platform, saying: “Up till now, we have not reviewed the recommendation”.

Speaking on whether ACN intends to zone offices, the party chairman said ACN does not believe in zoning but would always use the most competent hands it can get.

The meeting had in attendance, the National Executive Committee of the party including State Chairman, Chief Henry Oladele Ajomale



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