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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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AD: A convention and a new lease of life
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can be said to have got grey hair in the attempt to resolve the crisis in the Alliance for Democracy (AD). Twice in the life of the party, in 2001 and 2003, it had organised two parallel conventions.
The electoral body had no problem recognising the Ahmed Abdulkakir faction in 2001 as the duly elected executive of the party. The story is different since 2003. It shunned the factions led by both chief Bisi Akande and Senator Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa. Instead, the INEC gave them options on how to resolve the crisis, especially holding a fresh convention between the two factions.
The Akande faction, chairman of the party in the South West and other elected representatives of the AD agreed to hold fresh convention to beat the October 31 deadline of INEC to de-register the party if it railed to resolve this crisis. The Akinfenwa faction rejected the plan and instead said he remained duly elected chairman of the AD.
Last week, a convention was held in Lagos at which Akande was again retuned as chairman. There were conflicting signals from INEC in the build up to the convention held in Lagos. Akande had confirmed to The Guardian that the electoral body has given its blessing towards the holding of the convention. He had to withdraw a suit he had instituted against INEC.
An official of INEC however denied knowledge of such approval stating that INEC would not observe convention in Lagos. While the dust raised by the position of INEC officials was yet to settle, Chief Michael Koleosho the acting chairman of the AD told the Media in Ibadan that, the party has indeed written the INEC about the fresh convention and that it had given approval.
His words: Immediately I got a letter from the national convention committee I wrote to INEC and it had since given approval for the convention. As the acting chairman I have always kept INEC in view about the convention, he said.
In a dramatic twist INEC changed its stand and sent in a seven-man observer team led by Dr. Isham Igbani, director in charge of political matters in the commission to monitor the election.
Thus the INEC which did not observe either of the Lagos or Abuja convention decided to change its position. This seems to be against the background of modest internal reconstruction between the two factions.
For instance, the NCC committee headed by Alhaji Sule Hassan was expanded to accommodate some of the Akinfenwa's faction, which organised the Abuja convention. In fact, 13 out of 16 members of the Abuja Convention worked with the NCC to organise last week's convention in Lagos. Among them are Tunde Salau who was the scribe of Abuja Convention and Chief Justice Eke.
An INEC official who was part of the team that monitored the convention apparently impressed by the success of the convention told the Guardian that
"Personally I'm satisfied with this convention. I don't foresee any trouble with this convention. The factional crisis in the AD is over."
However, although the AD convention attracted over 4,500 delegates across the country, witnessed a large crowd of sympathisers and received a tacit blessing of INEC, it does not enjoy the support of some leaders of Afenifere. The once compact association seems to be divided since the crisis in AD broke out.
While the elders in the group led by Chief Reuben Fasaranti supported senator Akinfenwa, the younger elements in the AD think otherwise. To them, only a fresh convention would resolve the AD crisis. The position of the older generation in Afenifere is being attributed to their having embraced the AD crisis as an opportunity to rescue the machinery of the party from the Governor of Lagos state, Senator Ahmed Tinubu, a late Chief Bola Ige loyalist.
A key voice in the elders' group Chief Ayo Adebanjo has been fighting against allegations that he is unable to forget the so-called ganging up against him which later forced him out as the deputy national chairman of the party. Chief Ganiyu Dawodu and Supo Sonibare, who lost out in the AD following a struggle between their group and Tinubu in Lagos AD in the run up to last year's elections are also fighting similar allegations.
The younger elements in the AD argued that Afenifere has no constitutional power to endorse any group.
The posture of the elders of Afenifere is also being alleged to have something to do with the 2007 presidential politics.
For instance Chief Olu Falae and Chief Adebayo Adefarati have publicly identified with the camp of General Ibrahim Babangida. Besides, some of them who lost out in last year's elections seemed to be still bitter and are positioning themselves to fight back in 2007. This position was confirmed by a letter written by Senator Femi Okunrounu to chief Abraham Adesanya recently that Afenifere should move to the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He argued that the ideology canvassed by Afenifere is no longer relevant but the control of power using every available means.
The support Afenifere is drumming for Akinfenwa has also become curious because the same elders had accused Akinfenwa of being anti-Afenifenre. Senator Okunroumu who is now a staunch supporter of Akinfenwa had been antagonistic to Akinfenwa when they were in the Senate. A PDP politician then on which platform he was elected, he and Akinfenwa who was then leader of the AD in the upper arm of the National Assembly delightfully crossed swords.
Strikingly, Akinfenwa is reputed not to have attended any of the Afenifere meetings throughout his tenure as AD leader in the senate. In fact, he once took a page advert to condemn Adesanaya for his (Adesanya) remarks on the activities of AD elected lawmakers.
More than all this, the younger elements in the AD seems to have drawn the line. The youngsters, notably Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, Yinka Odumakin, Jimi Agbaje and Supported by elders Like Chief Ayo Fasnanmi, Senator Olabiyi Durojaye and former governors of the AD are convinced that the attitude of the elders in Afenifere "is becoming unbearable."
They argued that the elders posture is not in conformity with ideals pursued their departed leader Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The young politicians are saying that Awolowo in his lifetime would not pursue personal vendetta as to destroy a party based in the southwest or compromise the greater interest of the zone. These elders, unlike Awolowo, they said, are not open to debate.
They cited an example when the then President Shehu Shagari invited the leaders of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria UPN) and other political parties to discuss how to work together. The issue was thoroughly debated by the entire UPN house and Awolowo, they said, was forced to go with the majority.
The Guardian learnt that the congress of the group coming up in Lagos on October 6 may vote for the removal of Fasoranti. The youngsters are rooting for Chief Ayo Fasanmi.
The presence of Chief Anthony Enahoro, the man who move the motion for the Nigeria's Independence, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and other "progressive" elements in Lagos last week was considered a big plus for the AD and a sign that things are beginning to look up once again for the party.
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