Posted by By KENNY ASHAKA, KADUNA on
Amid protest by delegates, former factional leader, Alliance for Democracy (AD), Chief Bisi Akande, was on Monday announced as the new national chairman of the Action Congress (AC).
Amid protest by delegates, former factional leader, Alliance for Democracy (AD), Chief Bisi Akande, was on Monday announced as the new national chairman of the Action Congress (AC).
He emerged through the affirmation of delegates at the convention, which took place at the Kaduna International Trade and Investment Centre.
Other national officers of the party who were also announced include former Minister of Power and Steel during the Abacha regime, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, who emerged the national secretary, while former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Rimi became national vice chairman, North West zone.
Others also endorsed at the national convention of the party include Alhaji Lawal Umar (deputy national chairman); Alhaji Ahmed Shuaibu (vice chairman, North East); Ahmed Ibrahim, (national vice chairman, North Central).
Dignitaries at the congress include Ambassador Yahaya Kwande from Plateau State; Ambassador Tom Ikimi from Edo State; Chief Dapo Sarumi from Lagos State; Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, NLC president; Chief Audu Ogbeh, former national chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP); Chief Segun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State and Chief Lam Adesina, former governor of Oyo State.
Thousands of delegates and supporters who trooped to the International Trade Fair Complex, in Kaduna were shocked that they could not cast their votes for the candidate of their choice as new national officers of the party.
After hours of waiting for the convention to start, the National Convention Committee chairman, Otunba Niyi Adebayo appeared to read out the names of the new national officers as duly elected or returned unopposed.
Consequently, some aggrieved delegates rushed to the podium, chanting, "we say no, we say no, we say no."
The new chairman said, in his brief acceptance speech, that members should bury their differences to ensure that the party forms the next government in 2007, adding, "I am proud, I am grateful to all of you, I am so proud to accept the position of the leadership as the national chairman of the Action Congress (AC).
"Within the next two weeks, Action Congress will name its flagbearers at all levels.
"Within the next two weeks, Nigerians will begin to learn the politics of the gentleman; within the two weeks the end shall have come for tyrants of the country; and in 2007, PDP would have totally collapsed, the Action Congress government would have taken over."
Also speaking, Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu pleaded with the aggrieved delegates to give the new national officers maximum cooperation to enable the party sweep away the PDP at the polls.
Brandishing the broom, which is the symbol of the party, the governor, described as the "only man standing", stated that the days of the PDP were numbered.
His words: "It is another great day of success, celebration of democracy, freedom and the rule of law. We are grateful to the organisers and out-going national chairman and his team.
"These few days ago, we shared the friendship and harmony with great Nigerians who have just declared intention to be members of this party. Register for this party, the Action Congress, the great liberator. We will sweep them, we will sweep Peoples Destruction Party out the landscape of Nigerian politics.
"Those whose expectations were not met, should understand there are only few positions. You are all competent to be our leaders. You are competent to be our representatives, but in democracy, you find contentions, compromises and development," he said.
Tinubu said that what was of paramount importance was the party which he described as great, asking the delegates. "Do we want power or not? Are we ready to sweep the devil's party away? We ready to sweep them away?"
He then urged members to register in the on-going registration of voters by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying, "today will signal the defeat of dictatorship. We elect to be in democracy, a republic, not an empire; and we will remain a republic."