13th May, 2011
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has attributed the success of the Action Congress of Nigeria at the April 2011 General elections to the hope and expectation of the people that the party has the capacity to lead change in the country.
Governor Fashola who spoke at a meeting of all newly elected National Assembly members and Governors of the ACN with the party leaders and executives in Abuja said such hope is borne out of the quality of integrity, honour , courage and experience demonstrated by the leadership of the ACN and which ultimately is the hope being borne by all elected persons on the platform of the party.
He charged the newly elected national assembly members on the platform of the ACN to widen their horizon and arm themselves adequately with information to make informed contributions on the floor of the National Assembly.
Governor Fashola noted that if they speak from an informed position, they would be respected, adding that one of the issues which should be considered very important by the new Honourables is regular attendance of the proceedings of Parliament, adding that when legislators do not attend parliamentary sessions, they would not be able to contribute.
He said every member of the National Assembly has a role to play and such a role played will help turn out very useful legislation, committee reports and parliamentary sessions.
The governor said the successes recorded by Lagos State in the field of security has largely been due to the collaboration it received from the State House of Assembly which passed a law which permitted raising funds from the private sector to improve security, adding that such should also be replicated at the federal level.
He pledged his readiness to support the setting up of a research centre that would provide data to legislators to keep abreast of developments once the details are worked out.
Also speaking, the national leader of ACN and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the new lawmakers must ensure true and fiscal federalism in Abuja.
He added that they must work towards ensuring a redressing of the present unacceptable revenue allocation formula which gives over 50 percent to the Federal Government.
Asiwaju Tinubu explained that the real people are at the state and local government levels, stressing that in the federal principle, it is the states that agreed to cede power to the federal to hold in trust on their behalf because without the states there could no Federal Government.
He added that the Federal Government should not take more than 25 to 30 percent of the commonwealth because it has very little that it is taking charge of.
He argued that what Nigeria is currently running is a unitary system of government which is giving room for decisions taken at the centre being foisted on the states without mandates to fund such programmes.
National Chairman of the ACN, Chief Bisi Akande in his remarks said in civilised societies, government of national unity is only applicable when a country is at war.
He said but when a nation is at peace, a vibrant opposition is always allowed to improve democratic gains, stressing that the ACN as a party has stated its position that it will not participate in any government of national unity at the centre.
He said any elected person under the platform of the ACN who intends to participate in such must first resign his membership of the ACN and know that he is on his own.
In his contribution, the Minority Whip in the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila said there are four arms of government with the opposition being the fourth arm that is inbuilt to check the excesses of the ruling party at all times.
He urged his colleagues to always prepare themselves to provide alternatives when criticising policies of the ruling party but not criticise for criticism sake.
The meeting was attended by Governor-elect of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, all elected Senators and National Assembly members on the platform of ACN and party leaders from across the country.