Afenifere Backs AD Convention
Enahoro, Balarabe Musa, Okorie, Obiora, Okwu to attend
By Tokunbo Adedoja
Today's Unity and Reconci-liation convention of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) has received a boost with its endorsement by the pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, which is a major group within the party.
The endorsement of today's convention slated to hold at the Onikan stadium, was one of the resolutions arrived at by the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of Afenifere held at its national headquarters on Monday.
The decision of the Afenifere's CWC, consequently voids the earlier position taken by some of its leaders at a meeting in Akure, Ondo state, penultimate week, where they resolved to recognise the factional leadership of Akinfenwa, which emerged at the Eagle Square convention, held on December 16, 2003.
A release signed by Afenifere's acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said that after an exhaustive deliberations on recent happenings in the group, the CWC resolved "that Afenifere totally supports the new convention of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) scheduled for Wednesday 29th September 2004 at Onikan Stadium".
The group consequently enjoined all its members to participate fully in the convention so as to restore peace and progress to the party "once and for all".
The CWC of the group also resolved to hold a national congress on October 5 at its national secretariat, in Jibowu, Lagos for the purpose of repositioning the party ahead "for the immediate and future challenges and restore order within its fold".
The Secretary of the National Convention Committee and Leader of the AD caucus in the House of Representatives, Hon. Wunmi Bewaji also stated yesterday that today's exercise would usher in a new era of peace, progress and stability for the party.
Meanwhile, THISDAY gathered that leaders of six political parties have signified their intentions to attend today's convention as observers and friends of the party. They include the Chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Chairman of the National Reformation Party (NRP), Pa Anthony Enahoro, Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, Chairman of Justice Party (JP), Chief Ralph Obiora, Chairman of Progressive Action Congress (PAC), Chief Charles Nwodu and Secretary of CNPP, Maxi Okwu.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured that it will monitor the convention.
The commission's National Commissioner in charge of Information and Publicity, Mr. Settley Daze, said INEC's action would not, however, confer legitimacy on the outcome of the convention.
"In the absence of any court injunction, we will monitor the convention in Lagos tomorrow, but that does not confer any recognition to the convention," Daze said.
He stated that after the convention, the commission would now evaluate the report of its field officers before making any public statement.
While noting that some National Commissioners of the commission would monitor the convention, Daze explained that all political parties organizing conventions enjoy constitutional obligation to invite INEC to monitor such conventions, adding, "for this reason, we shall monitor the convention. We will do just that, provided that there is no court injunction against the convention."
INEC had issued an October 31, 2004 deadline to the two factions of AD to resolve the party's crisis.
The commission had in February this year threatened not to recognize any of the two factions of the party if within six months, they failed to settle their differences.
AD had on December 16, 2003 held two separate conventions in Lagos and Abuja where two national chairmen, Chief Bisi Akande and Senator Moji Akinfenwa emerged, but INEC refused to recognize any of the factions.
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