Daily Independent Online.
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Monday, July 12, 2004.
Tinubu yet to inform us of presidential ambition -
AD
By Sola Shittu,
Ibadan
The Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the
South West has declared that Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu is yet to inform
it of his presidential ambition in the 2007 and it expressed its support for a
fresh national convention to resolve the lingering leadership crisis rocking
the party.
At its meeting at the weekend, the party
told journalists that it read of Tinubu’s ambition on the pages of
newspapers.
The National Vice Chairman of AD in the
South West, Alhaji Mufutau Hamzat, said though Tinubu has the right to aspire
to any position in the party he has not formally informed the party of his
ambition.
“Tinubu has not informed us formally.
If he is aspiring for such, he would surely contact the party before going
ahead,” he said.
He added that AD is yet to take any
decision on the 2007 presidential race hence it would be premature for any of
its members to start nursing an ambition.
According to him, the leadership of AD is
more interested in how to reposition the party for the years ahead and wants no
distraction.
Hamzat warned party members in the zone not
to support any presidential aspirant until the AD takes its own decision and
direct otherwise. “If we should allow our party members to be attending
meetings with presidential aspirants now, by the time we conclude the
repositioning of AD, it would be difficult for us to draw them back
again,” he said.
Speaking on the crisis rocking the party,
Hamzat said the South west has resolved to a hold fresh national convention
where Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa and Chief Bisi Akande would contest along
with others who may also signify interest in the chairmanship seat.
The decision to hold the convention in October, he stated
was in line with the demand of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) that the party should broker truce between the two factional chairmen.
