25th June, 2010
Members of the Lagos West Senatorial district of the Action Congress, AC, Lagos, Nigeria, yesterday rose from their 5th Senatorial Conference at the Excellence Hotel, Ogba with a unanimous call for the collation of a new voters’ register by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The senatorial district which comprises the largest number local government councils in Lagos State, 28Â at its deliberations emphasized the need for one man, one vote, calling on the newly appointed INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega to live up to his integrity of the past and conduct a credible election in 2011.
Contributors at the conference warned that they would do anything legally possible to ensure that rigging, snatching of ballot boxes and other electoral malpractises become things of the past.
They commended Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his steadfastness in ensuring that the electorate do not labour in vain. He was described as the last man standing.
In his open address, a leader of the party and a former Commissioner in the Lateef Jakande administration, Alhaji M.O. Hamzat berated the show of shame at the House of Representatives, describing the act of the Federal lawmakers as arrant nonsense.
He said such situation would never happen under a progressive government, stressing that if Action Congress was to be the government at the centre, such free-for-all would not have occurred.
In his own address, the leader and vice-chairman of Lagos Action Congress (Lagos West), Cardinal James Omolaja Odunmbaku commended Chairmen of Local Governments in the senatorial district for the way they mobilized party members to the Save Nigeria Group rally at Onikan stadium on Wednesday to fight for their electoral rights.
He emphasised the need for the new INEC boss, Attahiru Jega to ensure the compilation of fresh voters’ register and dump the controversial one which has the names of “Mike Tyson, Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela and Mary Slessor†among others on it.
Odunmbaku popularly called Baba Eto said he was happy that there are no more factions in the Action Congress, warning elected and public officers who are members of the party not to see themselves as lords over their leaders.
Those at the conference included: Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Nelson; Chief A,.A Taiwo; Alhaji Suarau; Alhaji A.A. Akande; Alhaji Orire; Hon. S.O. Ifemade; Mr. Tayo Orekoya; Elder Ayo Ositelu; engr. Akinola; Comrade Bamidele Dania; Alhaji Ashiru and Chief (Mrs.) Lola Akande.
Local government chairmen at the occasion were: Aremo Adeyemi Alli (Odiolowo-Ojuwoye); James Faleke (Ojodu); Ademola Doherty (Ifako-Ijaiye); Comrade Ayodele Adewale (Amuwo-Odofin); Alhaji Abdul’Kareem Jubreel (Agege); Idowu Obasa (Onigbongbo); Wale Odunlami (Ikeja) and Abiodun Mafe (Mosan Okunola).