29th October, 2010
The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Lagos West Senatorial District stakeholders, led by Chief Enock Kolapomoye Ajiboso and Chief Dave Abidakun, have called for the deepening of internal democracy in the party.
The duo said this during the district’s stakeholders rally held in support of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola’s second term ambition at Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos recently.
According to Chief Ajiboso, a two-term ex-chairman of the old Agege Local Government and Chairman of Conference of Local Government Chairmen during Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, “what informed this gathering was that the people are asking me questions everywhere I go and sending text messages that they are a bit confused that nothing is happening politically in the state.
“They said that the party has not come out to campaign for the forthcoming election like other political parties. I then told them that well, I cannot answer the question alone except in a gathering like this, where all the stakeholders will gather and answer the questions once and for all,†the former Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives added.
Chief Abidakun, chairman, ACN West Senatorial District stakeholders, said, “with the full cooperation of our devoted members, this meeting had been on for some time. But with today’s event, we have collectively agreed to openly declare our unalloyed support for the second term of our hard-working governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola.
“Much as we believe in the leadership structure of the party, we stakeholders at the West Senatorial District are of the opinion that adherence to the rule of law, equal representation and party supremacy should be upheld at all times. A situation where the opinion of the majority of our members are jettisoned to the detriment of the party should be avoided at all costs,†said Abidakun.
He said that since this is what the party criticises in other political parties, the ACN party structure should be internally democratised at all levels for others to emulate.
“With reference to the time table of political activities from the National Secretariat of the party, item three of the time table refers: The fresh membership registration which ought to have started on October 11 ending 23 October, 2010 is yet to see the light of day.
“Bearing in mind that this particular fresh registration is the pillar of our democratic exercise on which other items such as ward, LG and state congresses rest, we therefore call on the leadership of the party to make sure that this serious anomaly is corrected so that the party can move forward,†he said.
He called on all members of the party to remain focused and dedicated to the party and the principles of good governance in the state.
