AD Plans Unity Convention
By Tokunbo Adedoja
For three days, leaders of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) from the 36 states of the federation gathered in Lagos to find an acceptable solution to the crisis which had been plaguing the party since the last general election at the and of which they resolved to hold a unity convention before the end of October.
The meeting which was attended by not less than 100 party chieftains from all the states of the federation began on Thursday and ended at the weekend with a resolution to convene a 'unity convention' where a new leadership of the party would emerge.
Though Chief Bisi Akande and Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa, the two factional heads of the party were absent, THISDAY however, gathered that the meeting was a follow-up to earlier reconciliatory meetings.
AD had been bedeviled by post convention crisis following the emergence of two national chairmen at separate conventions held in Abuja and Lagos on December 16, 2003 by the two factions in the party.
While Akande emerged as national chairman at the convention held at Onikan stadium, Lagos, Akinfenwa emerged at the one held at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
INEC, however, declined to recognise either of the two factions but gave the party four options through which it could resolve the lingering crisis. The commission also gave the party up to October ending to resolve its crisis .
The options include the settling of the crisis by members of the party themselves, the voluntary invitation of the commission to play mediatory role with the power to give a final verdict, the conduct of another national convention or the recognition of the faction which have the largest followership.
The decision of the stakeholders of the party to finally convene another convention was said to have been arrived at after an extensive consideration of the four options given to the party by the electoral commission and the approaching October deadline.
Though, no date and venue has been fixed for the unity convention, THISDAY gathered that it would, however, hold before October, which is the deadline given to the party by INEC to resolve its crisis.
Party sources disclosed to THISDAY that the 3-day meeting was not only fruitful but that leading members from the two factions have finally resolved their differences and also agreed to have a unity convention where a leadership that would be acceptable to all tendencies within the party would emerge.
"I can tell you that more than ever, the party has moved towards finding a lasting solution to its leadership crisis. The two respected members of the party laying claim to its leadership are also ready to sacrifice their claim for the survival and progress of the party. We all know that it is only when a party exists that we can talk about its leadership. We have been able to reconcile differences in all the states chapters and I can tell you that from what happened in the last three days, AD is coming out stronger as a party", a party source disclosed.
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