Posted by No deal, says AC on
After about five and a half hours of deliberations, the leadership of the Action Congress (AC) rose from an emergency meeting, Thursday, with a resolve not to participate in President Umaru Yar'Adua's unity government.
The decision, which leaves the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) in the unity government deal, ends speculations on whether or not the AC would take part in the arrangement.
Former governor of Enugu State, Okwezileze Nwodo, read the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.
The party announced that it was unable to get its members to support the unity government deal.
Before the meeting took off, AC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, had set the tone for the deliberations, saying Yar'Adua's quest for the unity government was borne out of desperation to clear the fog of legitimacy crisis he was facing as a result of the flawed April elections that brought him to office.
AC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had also on Wednesday issued a statement, insisting on going ahead with the case before the polls tribunal challenging the April polls.
The AC meeting was held amidst protest by some placard carrying members, mainly from Kaduna State, condemning reports that the party would participate in the unity government.
Some of the placards read: 'We reject nationwide withdrawal of AC cases at tribunal", 'We say ‘no' to Yar'Adua's unity government", 'AC must stand as the only strong opposition", and 'AC rejects participation in Yar'Adua's cabinet as ministers and directors", among others.
Nwodo explained that the AC had initially negotiated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and requested that for any meaningful talks they must be ready to probe the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC's) accounts for the period that Obasanjo was president.
He also said the power situation in the country was unacceptable considering the amount of money allegedly squandered on improving the energy sector in the last eight years.
'The current political stalemate that the country is facing stems from the general election held in April 2007, which has been acknowledged to be totally flawed by all Nigerians and international community and even by President Musa Yar'Adua himself.
'As a result of this, the government has found itself in a legitimacy crisis and in order to cure this illegitimacy has invited opposition political parties to join in the formation of a Government of National Unity. The Action Congress accepted the invitation to talk and set up a committee which me t several times with officials of the PDP - led government in this respect.
'The outcome of these meetings has been reported to the national executive committee of our party. After extensive and exhaustive deliberations, the AC has not been able to secure majority support of members to participate in the proposed Government of National Unity," Nwodo read from the communiqué.