Press Releases

Fashola, Tinubu, Oshiomhole Renew Calls For Electoral Reforms
…As AC National Convention holds in Lagos

Dec 12, 2009 - Bigwigs in the Action Congress including Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and many prominent leaders of the party on Saturday called for a convergence of efforts on the parts of all democratic forces to ensure that every vote counts in the nation’s elections.

According to majority of the speakers who attended the National Convention of the Action Congress which was held at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos, every well meaning Nigerian must stand up and support the efforts of the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER).

Emphasising the point, Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) said a revolution of progressive Governors has already started and landed in Lagos and Edo and will soon berth at Ekiti, Osun and Anambra States.

He said everyone is looking upon the Action Congress as the party that would change the course of events in Nigeria and urged the party members to keep the date with destiny to effect the change.

He said no one should make the mistake anymore of regarding the Action Congress as a weak party but the party of choice among all Nigerians.

He explained that from now on, the task before everybody should be that every vote will count.

He described the Action Congress National Convention as the Convention of all Conventions because it has succeeded in bringing national development issues to the front burner.

Former Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his goodwill message to the gathering tasked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to come out openly and tell Nigerians where they stand in terms of the Justice Lawal Uwais panel’s report.

He said despite the fact that the Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais panel was put in place by a product of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party has been shying away from publicly declaring its stand on the Uwais panel’s report.

Asiwaju Tinubu while speaking at the Convention explained that all democratically minded people are resolute to pursue the ideals of Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER).

He described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a party that is already digging its own grave through the succession struggle that is going on in the party when the President of the country is still alive.

While asking other like minded Nigerians to join the AC, Asiwaju Tinubu said the party will rescue Nigerians from the inept rule of PDP in the next general elections by sweeping it out of power.

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole charged the party to ensure that the foundation of the party is founded on the tenets of democracy.

He emphasized that the foundation for a credible election must also be seen in terms of membership participation in decision making processes and urged everyone to work towards realizing the full potentials of the country.

Governor Oshiomhole lampooned the PDP for disobeying its own constitution in the Anambra Governorship race, adding that this represents worrisome indicators for elections in 2011.

He said in Edo State, the Action Congress (AC) has succeeded in demobilizing the so called Godfather and demonstrated that he is no more than a vegetable.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in his address said Nigeria is in a near state of collapse as if the country is mourning.

He added that the PDP is politicizing the sickness of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and not resorting to constitutional provisions to remedy such situations.

The former Vice President charged Nigerians to insist on the application of the constitution for the present situation because the country has already stopped working and is drifting backwards.

He called for the adoption of two party system for Nigeria as the country is drifting to a one party state, adding that PDP cannot provide true democracy for Nigeria.

The National Chairman of the Action Congress, Chief Bisi Akande in his State of the party address lamented that things have been going from bad to worse for the nation with massive youth unemployment and crises in the educational sector.

He added that the PDP has been using the seven point agenda to defraud Nigerians through reckless expenditure and muzzling of the opposition.

He urged the party members to close ranks and subsume individual ambition for the party’s collective interest.

The Secretary of the Party, Dr Usman Bugaje in his address urged all members of the party to work together for the change which everyone has been yearning for.

He urged all Nigerians to eschew politics of big men but embrace politics of ideas as it is only a change of the way politics is practiced that would ensure that the people come first.

Among positions of national officers filled during the Convention were that of National Secretary, National Organizing Secretary, National Financial Secretary, Deputy National Auditor, National Welfare Officer and National ex-officio South East and North Central.

Among those present at the Convention were Deputy Governor, Prince Sarah Adebisi Sosan, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, RT Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji, First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs Abimbola Fashola, former Governor of Osun State and Chairman of the Action Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, former Governors Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti State, Lam Adesina of Oyo State, Dr Chris Ngige of Anambra State Governorship Candidates in Ekiti and Osun States, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Engineer Rauf Aregbesola, members of the State Executive Council, members of the State House of Assembly, National Secretary, Dr Usman Bugaje and several members of the National Assembly as well as party faithful from all parts of the country.