IBADAN—GOVERNOR Bola Tinubu of Lagos state and former governors of the Alliance for Democracy yesterday met in Ibadan declaring that the endorsement of senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa as national chairman of the party by Afenifere was an attempt to kill AD before 2007 general polls”.
At an emergency meeting held at the south-west zonal secretariat of AD in Ibadan and attended by three former AD governors, and two former secretaries to state governments on behalf of their governors, the AD leaders said that a fresh convention of the party would be held before the end of September, 2004.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the four-hour close-door meeting, former Oyo State Governor, Alhaji Lam Adesina alleged that “the opposing political parties are already sponsoring Afenifere to kill AD “.
Alhaji Adesina said “Afenifere is not a recognized body in the Nigeria constitution and as such has no business dabbling into AD affairs by proclaiming Senator Akinfenwa as the Party’s National Chairman. INEC did not recognize both the Abuja and Lagos conventions. What status has Afenifere got to recognize Akinfenwa and said that there is no more convention in the party”.
Reading the communiqué, Alhaji Adesina said, “the major stakeholders in AD in south-west met today (yesterday) in Ibadan and the meeting condemned, in the strongest possible term, the divisive posture of Afenifere on AD convention crisis. Afenifere leaders that met in Akure are partial leaders. They wanted to kill AD before joining other parties.
”Since Afenifere is not recognized by the constitution, the body had no right to recognize anybody as the AD National Chairman. Afenifere should stay away from AD as only INEC can recognize who is the National Chairman of the party.
”Afenifere was set up to fight for Democracy but one wonders why they have lost focus. Afenifere should restrain itself to the objectives for which it was established”, he asserted.
According to him, the acting National Chairman of AD, Chief Michael Koleosho had written to INEC informing the electoral body of the resolve of the party to conduct fresh election for the two candidates.
”Already, all members of the AD National Convention Committee are now working together. The fresh convention is for Akande and Akinfenwa. The two of them must attend the convention. No new entrant will be allowed”. Alhaji Adesina said that the AD former governors and south-west leaders have vowed that the decision of Afenifere would not be biding on the party as a new convention would hold before the September ending, stressing “AD is no longer a regional party, Afenifere can not dictate to AD again”.
Present at the meeting include, Chief Niyi Adebayo - former Ekiti state governor; Chief Bisi Akande - former Osun State governor and his deputy, Chief Adeleke Adewoyin; Alhaji Lam. Adesina - former Oyo State governor.
