The process for the
final consummation of the merger of ACN, CPC, ANPP, APGA and other parties into
All Progressives Congress was set in motion last week when the Action Congress
of Nigeria held a national convention to fully ratify the merger.
Chukwudi OHIRI
“This convention is a special one
because it sets in motion, one of the requisite steps that will lead to the
coming together of leading opposition parties and groups for the purpose of
creating an alternative political platform that will fundamentally alter the
face of politics and governance in Nigeria. There is no gain saying the fact
that the merger of leading opposition parties which has reached an advanced
stage is already a fait accompli”. With
these words from the national Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN,
Chief Bisi Akande, the stage was set for the epoch making event signaling the
transfer of allegiance of the party to the new merger arrangement—All
Progressives Congress APC.
ACN
members from the 36 states of the federation converged in Lagos, precisely at
Onikan Stadium, Lagos Island, Southwest Nigeria, venue of the national
convention. The event which turned into a carnival attracted many political
heavy weights across the country including most of the southwest governors,
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mallam El Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu, General Muhammed Buhari, Olusegun Osoba, ,
Senator George Akume, ACN senators at the National Assembly, Ganiyu Olanrewaju
Solomon, GOS, Gbenga Ashafa, Babafemi Ojudu, members of the House of
Representatives and State Houses of Assembly, delegates from the 36 states of
the federation, local government chairmen as well as Mr. Godwin Ezeemo
Governorship aspirant in the forth coming Anambra state Gubernatorial polls who
evidently was the toast of many media houses present as they scampered around
him to have words from the industrialist, philanthropist and businessman turned
politician.
Ezeemo
spoke to journalist and expressed great pleasure and excitement in the merger
process. He seized the opportunity to disclose his five point agenda for the
Anambra people whom he said are eagerly desirous of change. According to him,
restoring education to its original glory, provision of power (electricity) for
galvanizing other sectors of the economy, creation of jobs for the teeming
unemployed youths of the state, provision of adequate security by meaningfully
engaging the youths and the restoration of the moral values that was akin to
the Igbo person will be paramount in his administration in addition to the
provision of infrastructure and social amenities to the Anambra people. The
fanfare that greeted the entry and departure of Mr. Godwin Ezeemo sent a
rousing signal that he is evidently the choice of the people of Anambra State
beyond party affiliations
One
unique feature of the convention was that while it was ordinarily meant for ACN
members, the occasion witnessed an influx of well meaning Nigerians from other
political parties, especially those that have links with the new merger party,
APC. Among them was the national Chairman of Congress for Progressive Change
CPC, Tony Momoh, national Chairman of All Nigerian People Party, ANPP Chief
Ogbonnaya Onu as well as Chief Rochas Okorocha, Governor of Imo State and one
of the leaders of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.
The
high point of the event was the official movement of the motion ratifying the merger
of ACN with ANPP, CPC, APGA faction and other interested political parties.
Also ratified was the adoption of the logo, slogan, manifesto, flag, constitution
and other insignia of the newly formed APC in place of those of the ACN. In the
words of the ACN national leader, Chief Bisi Akande, “this may be the last
convention we are holding as ACN”. By a unanimous vote of all the 4, 761
accredited delegates, the motion was adopted and ratified.
Speaker
after speaker mounted the podium to lament the deplorable state of affairs in
the nation such as insecurity, corruption, unemployment, hunger, lack of
electricity etc owing to bad governance and for which the parties were coming
together to wrestle power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Rtd.
General Muhammadu Buhari enjoined members of the newly formed party the law
enforcement agencies, INEC, the judiciary as well as the civil service to work
together harmoniously to ensure that come 2015, there will be a transfer of
power from PDP to APC. “We hope that the other institutions that will stabilize
this system…the law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, civil service will
sympathize with Nigerians so that 2015 will be hitch-free for the transfer of
power from PDP to APC,” Buhari said.
Chief
Bisi Akande in his clarion call to all progressives said: “Today, our country
has become a society where the safety of life and property is at its lowest ebb
and poverty level, at its hype. Nigerians are waiting patiently to see the
successful outcome of the merger talks. We must never let them down. We must
rise above pettiness and personal ambitions and put the greater interest of
this great nation over anything else for this is the only guarantee for
salvaging Nigeria from the sycophants”
For an
elated Rochas Okorocha, he announced in his usual oratorical prowess and
eloquence that “finally, hope has returned to Nigeria”. Going further he said, “We
can now smile because I can see great days to come…. Now that we are together,
let me tell you something, the lack of power that we saw yesterday, we shall
see it no more; the corruption that we saw yesterday, we shall see it no more;
the lack of employment that we saw yesterday, we shall see it no more”.
The ACN
convention is a major milestone towards the realization of the APC dream barring
any unforeseen circumstances and the burying of selfish ambitions of other
major stakeholders in the merger.
