History was made at the terminal national convention of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Lagos where delegates voted in favour of the merger of the party with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a section of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to form the All Progressives Congress (APC). EMMANUEL OLADESU, AUGUSTINE AVWODE and MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE examine the challenges ahead for the new party.
Nature was kind to the 4,761 delegates who converged on the Onikan Stadium, Lagos for the historic convention of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). The weather was benevolent. It was a carnival of a sort. Drums, trumpets, colourful banners, a huge crowd of party supporters jubilating and chanting the slogan of change. For the party, it was the end of an era and begining of a new journey to progress.
Battle for change
The convention showed that the commitment to the merger was beyond rhetorics. The national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, explained to the party faithful that ACN was shifting its gear.
“We are convinced that merger is the way to go, if we must rescue our country from decay”, he said, urging them to gird their loins for the 2015 electoral challenge.
The national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, spoke in the same vein. “Things must change or we sink”, he said. “For the good of Nigeria, this must be the last and final convention of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)… When history writes its tale of the past decade, it will say the ACN preserved Nigerian democracy when it came under great threat,” he added.
The defining moment was when the motion for the endorsement of the party leadership’s decision to merge the ACN into APC was moved by the National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Kari from Gombe State. It was seconded by Tonia Anwam, a lawyer from Ebonyi State. Without any dissenting voice, the delegates approved the motion. With that resolution, ACN made a great sacrifice in the national interest.
An unprecedented partnership
Opposition figures were locked in sober reflection. United by the common threat by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), they reiterated their commitment to the liberation struggle. Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, who hailed ACN, urged Nigerians to brace up for change.
“APC is my party in which I am well pleased. Let me assure you that the lack of power, the deep seated corruption in the land and manifested cases of inequality before the law shall be banished by APC”, he said. To prove that APC will not disappoint the nation, he made references to the performance of the APC governors across the geo-political zones.
“Our governors have done well. They have given their people quality standard of living. they have carried the people along in the discharge of their duties and render ed account all the time to the people.”
The National Chairman of Congress of Progressive Change (CPC), Prince Tony Momoh said the collaboration will work. “The journey that we start today is toward 2015. We merged because we wanted a change. They have said they want to capture 32 states. I believe they were misquoted. Let me tell you, they will lose 32 states by 2015. We must all work hard because we have chosen to make sacrifice.
“I will have to leave my office two years before my tenure expires; this is part of the sacrifice we have to make. So, anybody who thinks they can take APC from us is joking”, he added.
His All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) counterpart, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu said that Nigeria will no remain the same again. “Those who say they will be in government for 60 years should be prepared to be in the opposition as from 2015. The misrule of PDP has caused problems for the country which the APC is poised to address. Nobody will be above the law; this is the reason why APC is born.”
Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun said the convention would be a prelude to the APC national convention in Abuja.
Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola said the convention had stamped the emergence of APC. He said the battle to reclaim the country would start in Anambra State next year. “We are here to celebrate the end of darkness and APC will take over Anambra State by 2014. Nigeria belongs to all of us. We must all mobilise to take over Anambra. I must say with what has happened today, a change has come to Nigeria.”
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola berated the ruling party for threatening to capture 32 states, through its unconventional methods. “We have heard from them that they will do what they know how to do best. But let me notify them that the people are now wiser and watchful and would defend their votes.”
Aremo Segun Osoba remarked that the convention attracted followers of the late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo, late Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, and the late Dr Nnamdi Azikwe, which he said, was an indication that the people had to save Nigeria.
ACN chieftain, Chief Audu Ogbe said APC will offer a better alternative to the country. He advised the masses to join the party. “The party shall provide the platform for the youth to participate and make their contribution in the policies and implementation of the party’s programme.
“Nigeria has been turned into a grave yard of unemployment and hopelessness. You must register and make your impact in the country. APC is the place where we can achieve the hope, I urge you to wake up from your sleep and support the party.”
The Senate Minority Leader, George Akume, said: “Today Nigerians can go to bed to sleep. We are here for the purpose of restoring hope to Nigerians. Through this merger we will remove despair from the lives of the people and they will be happy.
“Let me say that the infraction and contradictions of the PDP will destroy PDP, this is because they have not been sincere and that is why they can’t get their act together, “ Akume stressed.
Former Imo State Achike Undenwa said that the convention was a milestone. He assured that APC will fulfil its promise to salvage the country.
Former Governor of Edo State Chief John Oyegun said: “Hope has finally returned to the people. The prayers of the people have been heapresidential candidate, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarua, urged Nigerians to embrace the opportunity for change, progress and posterity.
The great metamorphosis
From now till the time the new party is registered, the opposition leaders will face challenges. The CPC leader, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), has disclosed that the party and the ANPP will hold their national conventions simultaneously on May 11. The CPC delegates will converge on Abuja. The ANPP forces will hold their convention in Zamfara State.
The ACN National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, itemised the stages in the next battle for the APC registration. He said that, following the conventions, which was witnessed by the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the chairman and secretary of the ACN will now apply to the electoral commission for a merger into the APC. He said the conventions are critical conditions which were being fulfilled by the parties.
“The relevant provision for merger is stated in the Section 84 of the Electoral Act as amended. It says that, if any two political parties want to merge, they shall give the commission 90 days notice of their intention to do so before the general election. What it means is that, if you give the notice of your intention to merge less than 90 days before the general election, such a merger cannot be accepted.
“ However, the defining provision in the Section 84 (3), says that “a written request of the merger shall be sent to the chairman of the commission, jointly signed by the national chairmen, secretaries, and the treasurers of the different political parties proposing a merger and shall be accompanied by a special resolution passed at the national conventions of the political parties proposing to merge and approving the merger. “The proposed full name and the acronym, logo or symbol, constitution, manifestoes and the address of the national body of the party and evidence of payment of the party must also be forwarded to INEC. We will meet all these conditions,” he said.