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Tag: ACN

  • Don’t rename varsity after Saraki, say ACN, CPC, others

    •Govt: Kwara ought to be named after him

    SHOULD the four-year-old Kwara State University (KWASU) be renamed Olusola Saraki University (OSU)? Yes, says the government , which is proposing the change; no, says the opposition.

    The parties appeared yesterday at a public hearing by the House of Assembly in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on the matter.

    The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) and Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) opposed the move, but the government defended its plan.

    ARG Vice Chairman in the state Baba Bako urged the House not to be stampeded by the executive to pass the bill into law.

    He said: “Should there be the need to rename that institution after a notable Kwaran, an examination of the roles of past leaders of this state is necessary. This will allow for actual valuation of the contributions of such leaders to the political evolution, and socio-economic development of this state.

    “There had been several leaders from what we now call Kwara State before Saraki. They played some key roles to establish and sustain what we now call Kwara state. Perhaps, because we have mostly lost our sense of history, that explains why their roles in the creation of the state have been relegated and not even streets are named after many of them. Such leaders are Alhaji AGF AbdulRazaq, Chief M. A. O. Olarnewaju, Chief J. S. Olawoyin and Alhaji Suleiman Maito.

    “In 1967, Kwara State was formally created by Gen Yakubu Gowon and the first military governor was the then Major later Brig-Gen David Bamigboye. As the first governor of the state, he established structures that were improved upon by those who came after him. Such leaders definitely merit greater honour than the late Abubakar Olusola Saraki.

    “Truly, the late Waziri was elected a senator and a senate leader from 1979-1983, what landmark development did his leadership at the Senate bring to the state for that period? We should remember that, that was an era of political intrigues that literarily paralysed all forms of developments in the state. For the better part of his political career, the late Waziri was a god-father in Kwara politics. God used him to make governors and there was none of these governors, including his son, that he did not fight

    “During that time of such egoistic bitter political struggles with Governors Atta, Adebayo, Sha’aba, Lawal and Bukola the development of the state became stunted. These should not be a character that should be honoured with an edifice like a university.

    “The ‘leader’ had no dominant idea on governance like Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Nnamdi Azikiwe; had no sagacity of Sir Ahmadu Bello; had no privilege of heading a government like Tafawa Balewa and S.L Akintola and had no courage like MKO Abiola.”

    Otunba Iyiola Akogun for the ACN said the government lacked the moral and ideological rights to honour the late Saraki with KWASU

    He said: “I am of the view that a university of this nature should not be named after Olusola Saraki and if it should be named after it should not be by the present administration. Let people that can be objective about the type of politician this man was come on board and name the university after him; if we all believe that he did well when he was alive. Let us not create anything that will devalue his name after another set of people take over the reins of power.

    “Some people claim that pressures here and there are necessitating the move. That should not be the reasons why a university should be named after an individual, especially a university that is funded from public purse. I know of a fact that the institution is not only funded by the state government but also all the 16 local councils.

    “There have been so many people in this state that have done so many things that are yet to be recognised. I would advise the state government to look into history and dig out people that have done one thing or the other for the state; collate names and bring such for necessary recognition and honour. Why single out an individual?

    “Another thing is that somebody says the university was created by his son, Bukola. His son didn’t create university from his own purse, he created it with public fund and the government doesn’t have the power to just name any university. It is true that many universities in this country have been named after some individuals, but then they were done with military fiat. That is why it has been impossible for President Goodluck Jonathan to rename University of Lagos after Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.

    “If Ahmadu Bello University was created, Ahmadu Bello himself was larger than life and he, in fact, created the that university. Since the inception of the civilian rule in 1999 can you see any tertiary institution in this country named after an individual? So we would be laying bad precedent in Kwara State.

    “If you say that the late Olusola Saraki produced governors in the state, people can also say that much as he created governors he fought governors. He created crises among governors and at that time a governor was suspended much to the detriment of this state.

    “I am of the view, that the Kwara State University, apart from what it will connote to the outside world, should not be named after Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki.”

    CPC chairman Alhaji Suleiman Buhair said: “If an institution like KWASU is flippantly renamed, with a simple wave of the hand, a new administration, especially one under a different political ideology and orientation will not hesitate to ponder to the dictate of the masses on the name change.

    “Lest we forget, the resentment generated by the change of name of UNIFE has not died down. Several people are still angry over it. Professor Wole Soyinka has not hidden his anger. He said the name would be reverted one day. Those are verifiable precedents for the Kwara State House of Assembly, which could guide it in arriving a just, moral and saner conclusion.

    “It shows that the renaming of universities after individuals is not absolute but susceptible to change as government also changes. Would it not be a monumental embarrassment to the memory of the dead and the Sarakis should this name change be reversed by a different government in the nearest future?

    “A name-change clearly violates the University Autonomy Act (2007). Autonomy characterises university system worldwide – it is freedom from external interference in and politicisation of, the nation’s universities. It is the right to self-governance.

    “We at the CPC are of a strong conviction that immortalising Dr. Saraki is best served by ensuring his legacy is not forgotten and merely naming places after him only ensures that people remember the name and not the man.”

    Earlier, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mohammed Lade, while justifying the proposed, said: “If it is possible to rename Kwara State as Olusola Saraki state, I think the late Baba Saraki deserves it. All of us sitting here today and those of us not here, Baba has contributed one way or the other to what we are today. He actually encouraged education in the state, apart from what he was doing individual persons.

    “That person is no longer alive and we feel we should rename the Kwara State University after him. We also received a proposal the KWASU Governing Council on the need to immortalise Baba. We don’t have any other thing to give the late politician than to name the university after him.”

    The Moggaji Nda of Ilorin, Alhaji Saliu Mohammed, said those opposed to the change, were proposed oblivious of the late Saraki’s achievements.

    “I heard somebody was saying he is objecting to the renaming of KWASU after Saraki because the university was established with public funds. We’ve got precedent that several universities and colleges in this country established with public funds of were named after individuals because of their exceptional contributions to the development of this country.

    “Dr Saraki was a reliable, true and patriotic Nigerian. A friend of the weak and oppressed that produced many governors in the state without taking any kobo from them; he was great in life and death.

    “He was one of those who spearheaded the name of Kwara State. The commissioner was so kind by saying we can name the state after Saraki. We can name everybody after Saraki. I am proud to call myself Saraki. Let me tell you if there is politics in heaven, we are going to queue behind him.”

  • ACN warns against extortion of contractors

    The Action Congress of Nigeria, (A C N), has condemned the harassment and extortion of contractors working in various parts of Lagos by communities and area boys. This, the A C N said, was inimical to the growth and progress of the state.

    In a statement by its Publicity Secretary Joe Igbokwe, the party expressed worries over persistent complaints of increasing harassment and extortion of contractors handling roads,drainage,bridges by communities in collaboration with street urchins.

    “In recent times, we have been receiving worrying reports of unrestrained harassment by contractors working for the Lagos State government; that host communities where they are working are putting undue pressure and impediments on their works and this has got to a stage that government projects are stalled as a result of the inability of contractors to meet the indecent demands of the host communities,” Igbokwe said.

    He added: “An agency of the Lagos State government in charge of optic fibre technology has reported consistent running battles with communities, area boys, Community DevelopmentAssociations (CDAs), resident associations, estates and even prominent Lagos residents that impede on its works in their areas, which involve laying of facilities for improved network, until certain fees are negotiated and paid.

    ” We have a letter from the Magodo Residents’ Association to the Telecoms Infrastructure Development Limited, a contractor handling the laying of fiber optic cables for MTN Nigeria. The Magodo Residents’ Association is demanding N500,000 for work permit to lay fibre optic cables in the state.”

    “Lagos ACN warns those engaged in this act to desist henceforth as the government is taking due cognizance of this and will come down hard on any group or community sabotaging the realization of the lofty dreams of the Lagos State government for Lagosians,”the party warns.

  • ACN slams Presidency on Oguta poll

    ACN slams Presidency on Oguta poll

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has slammed the Presidency for seeking to usurp the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by describing the rerun to the Imo House of Assembly in Oguta as inconclusive.

    In a statement yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it was up to INEC to determine whether the election was ‘inconclusive’ or marred by ‘violence and irregularities’, not the Presidency.

    “To the best of our knowledge, it is either the candidates or the parties involved in an election that can take a legal recourse over any perceived irregularities. It, therefore, baffles us that the Presidency has rushed to declare the election inconclusive and marred by rigging, and to call for the prosecution of those involved, simply because its preferred candidate lost.

    “According to the information at our disposal, the INEC cancelled the results in eight of the 232 polling booths for one reason or the other. That is less than four per cent of the number of booths; it is definitely not enough to make an election ‘inconclusive’, as the Presidency did by assuming the role of an umpire,” ACN said.

    The party also accused the Presidency of being selective in its quest for the prosecution of those who rig or engage in violence during elections, wondering where the Presidency was when the last Ondo State governorship election was marred by massive rigging and violence.

    It said: “Let’s be clear: It is not the business of the Presidency to pronounce any election inconclusive or marred by violence. That is the business of the INEC. The Presidency is wrong in trying to pre-empt the INEC, simply because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate lost the election to the Rochas Okorocha faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    “Would the Presidency have raised the alarm if the victor had come from the Peter Obi faction of APGA? Why didn’t the Presidency speak up over the Ondo State governorship election, which was marred by massive violence and rigging? Is it because its favoured candidate won?

    “We are the undisputed advocate of free and fair elections: one-man, one-vote, and of peaceful conduct of polls. But we will not support selective perception, as the Presidency is now doing. There must be no sacred cows. Whoever perpetrates rigging or violence must be brought to justice, whether or not they belong to the ruling/favoured parties.”

    ACN said the Presidency was afraid that the outcome of the election in Oguta may be a referendum on the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan and a sign of things to come; which of course it is!

    “The Presidency should be prepared for more of the drubbing it received in Oguta, because henceforth, that is what will happen to the PDP in subsequent elections. It is a sign of things to come, hence the Presidency is right to be jittery. But what it has no right to do is to usurp the role of the election umpire or assume the role of a political party,” the party added.

  • ACN lawyer: it’s an unfortunate dimension in justice

    The ACN counsel, Charles Titiloye, yesterday said: “The Court of Appeal’s judgment has added another unfortunate dimension to the electoral justice in Nigeria.

    “While the Court of Appeal agreed that the issue of voter register can never be a pre-election matter and it has jurisdiction to entertain same, it imposed another criterion of substantiality of the allegation of the injection of fresh names.

    “It is very unimaginable that a petitioner will be required to prove substantiality of a void and compromised Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) document, which the Court of Appeal agreed, fell short of the requirement of the Electoral Act in its preparation by INEC.

    “If a document is void as a product of non-compliance with Electoral Act in its preparation, no valid election can stand on it.

    “ACN will approach the Supreme Court to sanitise the electoral process and ensure justice for Ondo State indigenes.

    “Election in 2015 is a foregone conclusion if INEC’s manipulation of the Ondo State voter register was found to be true by the courts but allowed to stand for whatever reason. We must not erode people’s confidence for justice in the judiciary.”

  • ACN, Asahafa mourn ‘a great man’

    ACN, Asahafa mourn ‘a great man’

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Gbenga Ashafa, have described as a great national loss the death of Senator Pius Ewherido.

    In a statement in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party commiserated with the family of the senator.

    It said the death of such a man of sterling achievements at the age of only 50 was a big blow to all.

    “We pray that God will strengthen the family he left behind and also grant repose to the soul of the departed,” ACN said.

    Ashafa said he received the sudden demise with a heavy heart.

    He said: “ Just last week Sunday, Senator Pius Ewherido among other lawmakers at the National Assembly came to Lagos to commemorate with our National Leader of Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over the death of his mother; hearing his untimely death is too shocking to bear.

    “Sen. Ewherido was a true Nigeria, a soft spoken seasoned professional, an indefatigable soldier of democracy and a committed, magnanimous brother and motivator. The sudden and untimely loss of Senator Ewherido is too painful to comprehend by the entire National Assembly.”

     

  • Ondo: Appeal Court dismisses Akeredolu’s appeal

    Ondo: Appeal Court dismisses Akeredolu’s appeal

    The Appeal Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital has dismissed the appeal of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its governorship candidate Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu[SAN].

    The five-man panel also struck out the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Chief. Olusola Oke for lacking in merit.

    They were all challenging the verdict of the state Election Petitions Tribunal which affirmed the victory of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in last October’s governorship election in the state.

    The panel noted that their grounds of appeals are not substantial enough to convince the court to upturn the judgment in favour of the appellants.

    In a unanimous judgment, the chairman of the panel, Justice Garba Mohammed, said the issue of injection of unlawful names into the voters’ register is not a pre election matter, stressing that the tribunal had the jurisdiction to entertain the petitions.

    According to the judges, the voters’ register was used in the election and formed part of the process, saying the tribunal was wrong to say it is a pre election matter.

    The court also affirmed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to display the voters’ register for public to scrutinize properly before the election, adding that it is a breach of a section of the electoral law.

    But, It however stressed that the breach was not enough to discredit the entire process.

    The panel said the ACN and Akeredolu failed to substantially prove how the unlawful injection of names affected the result of the election.

  • Babatunde Raji who?

    Babatunde Raji who?

    Seeth thou a man deligent in his work, he will stand before kings and not mean men.

    Seven years ago, only few Lagosians can claim to know Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola. Though an accomplished legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), serving as Chief of Staff to former Governor Bola Tinubu, the reaction of many to his nomination as the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria ( ACN) was Babatunde Raji who?

    I remember being at a media chat with some political chieftains of the Action Congress of Nigeria during which some journalists questioned the choice of an unknown Fashola over other known political bigwigs in the state. The leader of the group tried hard to convince them that Fashola was the best man for the job but not many were convinced.

    I was particularly swayed by a revelation by the chieftain about how Fashola had been very diligent in his duties and refused to abuse his privileged position. He cited how the power to sign Certificate of Occupancy on behalf of the Governor was vested in Fashola, yet he declined to sign those of anyone related to him on the grounds that he will be violating the principle of conflict of interest.

    Those who knew him as Chief of Staff recall how thorough he was in his assignment and how he refused to be swayed by unnecessary political considerations. Not many found it funny that Fashola always insisted on subjecting their requests to due diligence notwithstanding their political status.

    These were some of the virtues which ordinarily could be a minus in political circles but turned out to be a plus for the man who has not only sustained the good works started under the Tinubu’s administration but has justified the confidence in him.

    Perhaps a good lesson for political appointees is the fact that Fashola was busy doing his assignments instead of scheming for political positions after his boss’s exit. As he had always stated he had no political ambition since he was not a politician, but his outstanding qualities could not be ignored by Tinubu who risked being demystified if Fashola had not lived to expectations.

    Under Fashola, Lagos has remained a city of excellence and a barometer for good governance nationwide.  Infrastructural development has been massive and various policies of the government have improved the various sectors in the state.

    He has brought to government a high sense of duty and commitment that has earned him numerous commendations even from opposing political camps who have acknowledged that his performance has been outstanding given the limited resources available to him.

    As long as a policy is in the overall interest of the state, like the banning of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, Fashola has not shied from taking the necessary decision. It is to his credit that the once notorious Oshodi is now a passable route for all motorists at any time of the day unlike before when it was a den of all manners of criminals who held sway there.

    There are some parts of the state where the impact of his government still needs to be felt but that cannot detract from his accomplishments along with his commissioners and other government officials.

    In the fulfillment of his political slogan, Eko oni baje – Lagos will not deteriorate – Fashola has kept faith with Lagosians and things can only get better as he rounds up his second term in office. Such is the high rating for Fashola’s administration that political parties in the state cannot afford to present just any candidate for the next governorship election who cannot match his performance

    In commemoration of his 50th anniversary, I join others in wishing Fashola, a model of what a governor should be, a very happy birthday and more years of service to the nation.

  • ACN chieftain advises youths

    An Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftain in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State,Hon. King Tony Gboms, has said that the yet to be registered All Progressives Congress (APC) will sanitise the state if voted into power.

    King Gboms stated this during an ACN meeting on June 21, adding that the party stands for total change in all spheres of life. He called on party faithful to exercise their freedom and stand on their rights to effect positive change in the society.We stand for change, we are ready to fight for the change, not to destroy but to stand for justice. You all have the power to change the entire system” he declared.

    The Obio/Akpor party leader warned youths to shun all changes through violence. He reminded them that changes effected through violence do not stand the test of time, adding that any wound inflicted will always leave a scar. He urged party members to capitalise on the opportunity of the crisis rocking PDP to woo more members.

    In his address, the party chairman in the local government, Mr Godwin Nwosu, called on members to remain loyal to party leaders, warning that the full weight of the party constitution shall fall heavily on disloyal members who engage in anti-party activities. Nwosu declared the council’s support on the decision of the state leadership in suspending five erring members. He reaffirmed his total support and confidence on Hon. Esuku M. Esuku-led state executive council.

    Also present was Mr. Brown W. Isaac, the Chairman of the Emohua Local Government delegate. In his speech, Mr Brown said the EMOLGA youths suffer from unemployment because the current leaders lack the potentials to plan and create jobs for youths. As a result of this and other deprivations suffered ,the youth have pledged their support for well meaning leaders whose primary objective agenda is to deliver the best to the society.

    The chairman said that their visit to Hon.Gboms is because of his proven ability to be a Ground Patron of youths in the state in the past 14 years, and has contributed greatly in the development of youths through scholarship of various kinds.

    Meanwhile the Obio/Akpor chapter of CAN has elected Mrs. Chinyere Edith Tasie as its new Woman Leader following the nomination of the former as an Ex-officio in the state.

     

  • Osun PDP member’s ‘killer’ arrested

    •Party wants murder probed
    •ACN urges police to tighten security

    A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, simply identified as Laniyi, has been arrested for allegedly killing another member of the party, Kunle Olagoke (25), last Sunday during a clash in Edunabon, Ife North Local Government Area.

    A police source, who preferred not to be named, said Laniyi has been arrested and investigation has begun into the killing.

    The PDP’s Publicity Director, Prince Diran Odeyemi, yesterday urged the police to unearth the circumstances that led to the murder and bring the culprit to book.

    In a statement, Odeyemi said: “The insinuation that the crisis erupted as a result of a supremacy battle between supporters of a governorship aspirant and another group is far from the truth.

    “The congress was held over a year ago and there has been no rancour in the area until this unfortunate incident. The killing has nothing to do with anybody’s governorship ambition.

    “I urge the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the murder to ascertain the culprit and bring him to book.”

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) described the killing as “a foretaste of the PDP’s plan for next year’s governorship election.

    In a statement, the ACN’s Publicity Director, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, urged the police and other security agencies to brace up to protect the people during next year’s election.

    He said: “Olagoke’s killing is reminiscent of the murderous disposition of some PDP governorship aspirants, who are bent on winning by violence and murder. Those PDP leaders, who are notorious for violence, thuggery and murder, are on the loose and have started killing from Edunabon.

    “If they are not checked now by the police, things could get worse before next year’s election. A stitch in time would save several lives, so the police must act swiftly to bring Olagoke’s killers and their sponsors to justice.”

    Explaining that some opposition politicians had threatened the governor on many occasions, Oyatomi said “dangerous characters” should not be allowed to roam the streets.

    He said: “It is clear that these desperate politicians will stop at nothing, including killing their own member, to get their party’s ticket. If they could do that to their own member, then they will do worse things before, during and after the election if the law fails to stop them.”

  • ACN to Fed Govt: come clean on state of economy

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has urged the Federal Government to be honest with Nigerians on the state of the nation’s economy. It said from all indications, things are not as rosy as they are being painted by the government.

    In a statement in Abuja yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said coming clean on the state of the economy would enable the government to carry the people along in whatever measures it might take to avoid the collapse of the economy.

    “On February 24, we issued a statement in which we alerted the nation to ‘an impending collapse of the Nigerian economy, unless the Federal Government cuts the astronomical cost of running a bloated government and takes urgent measures to diversify the economy and shore up the production of oil, which remains the mainstay of the country’s economy’.

    “Although the Federal Government quickly denied that the economy was in danger, it is now clear that it (government) was being economical with the truth. The clearest indications yet of this choreographed deceit are the contradictory statements credited to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in recent time.

    “According to published report, on June 10 in Abuja, the minister said at a ministerial briefing that the fundamentals of the economy were strong and that the economy was buoyant beyond danger. However, a day later, the same minister was quoted as saying, at a closed-door session of the Federal Government Economic Implementation Team that the Nigerian economy is shaky despite the official fundamentals and that drastic steps are needed to save it from collapse.

    “She was further quoted as saying that there was an urgent need for ‘stringent budgetary measures’ to arrest the downward slide; that crude oil production now hovers around 1.3 million barrels per day (far lower than it was at the height of the protracted militancy in the Niger Delta); and that crude oil theft, which costs Nigeria US$6 billion annually, is now severely hurting the economy,” the party said.

    ACN said while it has no reason to doubt that the reality of the gloomy situation facing the country’s economy has now dawned on the government, it is still worried that those in authority are speaking from both sides of their mouths, publicly giving the impression that all is well while privately preparing to unleash belt- tightening measures on the same hapless citizens, who have borne the brunt of their poor governance.

    “When the falling crude oil production and massive oil theft are placed side-by-side the impact of the rising Shale oil production in the United States (which we also warned against in our earlier statement), the regular declaration of Force Majeure by oil firms, the fact that oil firms are divesting instead of investing in the sector and the freewheeling spending by a profligate government, one needs not be a Harvard-trained economist to know that the dark clouds are gathering over the economy.

    “Since it is a truism that everything revolves around the economy, a government that cannot get it right with the economy cannot get it right with anything else. This is why we are again raising the alarm, with the belief that the government will level with Nigerians and shun the same ‘political’ reactions that it is used to.

    “It is urgent to act now. As many concerned citizens have said, the highfalutin economic growth figures have not translated to development. Poverty has remained high while unemployment has become a time bomb. Therefore, against the background of a tottering economy, delay could be calamitous,” the party said.