Ebira community joins ACN

Ose, an agrarian community in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State has declared its support for Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the October 20 governorship election in the state.

The community is populated by Ebira, an ethnic nationality of farmers.

It joined the party though the Omoluabi Platform of Dr Olu Agunloye, a governorship aspirant. 

Chief Abdulkareem Abdullahi, who spoke for the community, said the people had assessed the party’s aspirants and settled for Dr. Agunloye because of his contributions to the development of the state.

Abdullahi berated the ruling Labour Party (LP) administration for its insensitivity to the plight of the residents.

He noted that though their village is on the bank of River Ose, yet there is no pipe-borne water for people to drink.

Over 300 politicians from the ruling LP and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defected to ACN through the Omoluabi Platform.

On behalf of other defectors, Prince Abdulazeez Ahmed said the ruling party is out of reckoning in the community.

He said since slogan of Governor Olusegun Mimiko is “one man, one term”, the governor should not change his own rule in the middle of the game.

The politician promised to deliver all the units in the community to the ACN in the governorship poll.

He noted that the LP has performed woefully in Ondo North Senatorial District, where he said 95 per cent of the roads are impassable.

Dr. Agunloye urged the residents to work harder for the ACN in their wards and units to enable the party win convincingly.

The former Minister of Defence urged the people to be vigilant, saying LP thugs are targeting ACN property in the state.

He promised to develop the community when the ACN takes over power in February, next year.

Source: The Nation Newspaper, 29 May 2012.
http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/48163-ebira-community-backs-party.html

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PDP LEADER JOINS ACN

The central Senatorial district chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State, Chief John Ilori has defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria in Igbara Oke, headquarters of Ifedore Local Government area of the State.

Chief Ilori who joined the ACN at the party secretariat yesterday with his followers noted that it is time for progressive minded people to come together and fight the retrogressive forces in the State.

The former PDP Chairman of the Central Senatorial District called on every notable politician in the State to join forces with the Action Congress of Nigeria in its bid to win the next governorship election slated for October this year. Chief Ilori explained that he had to dump the PDP for ACN when it is glaring that only the Action Congress of Nigeria is Capable of rescuing the State from the grip of the unfocused leadership of Dr. Mimiko's Labour Party Government.

The renowned politician berated the outgoing government of Labour Party for looting the State treasury without any developmental programme for the people. He particularly castigated the Labour Party government for its inability to arrest the falling standard of education, deteriorating health facilities and decaying infrastructure across the State.

The ACN State treasurer and Chairman of Mobilisation Committee, Mr. Ade Adetimehin who welcomed the new members into the party asked then to go back to their individual wards and start mobilising the people towards the October election adding that it is time for serious politicking. He also told the defectors to be ready for the battle ahead as the Labour Party government is hell-bent on fomenting trouble with their retinue of thugs whose main preoccupation is to vandalise ACN billboards, campaign vehicles, and maim people across the State.

The ceremony was witnessed by leaders of ACN and representatives of some gubernatorial aspirants.


Source: Omoluabi in the News
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.224611864323689.48449.100003246306542&type=1

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LP, PDP loyalists join ACN in Ondo community

Scores of Labour Party (LP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members at the weekend defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) through the Omoluabi Platform of Dr. Olu Agunloye.

Dr Agunloye is among the party’s aspirants.

The defectors, who were mainly members of a pressure group, the “G4 Irekari”, in Ose Local Government Area, were led by Alonge Idowu, Jide Akerele and a former Ward Secretary in the council’s chapter of the PDP, Tanimola, aka Ejo. They were received into ACN by the party’s state executives.

Dr. Agunloye was represented by the Directors of Contacts and Mobilisation of the Omoluabi Platform, Mr Adeola Ayelomi and Mr Ojo Victor.

The defectors said they joined the party to support Agunloye’s aspiration as the next governor of the state.

The group’s chairman, Mr Alonge Idowu, told his colleagues that their goal is to help ACN form the next government in 2013.He urged them to play active role in ensuring that the party unseats Mimiko through a convincing victory. 

Idowu said: “It is the responsibility of this group to make sure that it works with leaders of the party to gather enough voters needed to give ACN victory in the forthcoming election. We are to ensure security of materials provided to various units by making sure that the people are not robbed of their votes or their votes destroyed.”

The group chairman hailed Agunloye for supporting the committee in the past one year.

Source: The Nation Newspaper, 28 May 2012.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/48061-lp-pdp-loyalists-join-acn-in-ondo-community.html

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Mimiko is jittery, says Agunloye

Former Minister of Power and Steel Dr. Olu Agunloye has condemned the alleged destruction of bill boards, posters and campaign vehicles belonging to the opposition by agents of the Labour Party (LP) in Ondo State.

The former Head of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and governorship aspirant of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) said the alleged attacks are signs that the LP government is jittery.

Agunloye spoke with reporters yesterday at his Bodija home in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He said no amount of unprovoked attacks would deter Ondo people from voting out the LP administration on October 20.

Agunloye urged the people to be resolute in their determination to effect a change in government.

He said: “Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s administration has spent a lot of money, which could have been used to develop the state, on media propaganda. It has created a sense of progress outside Ondo State using the media, but that is not the true situation of things in the state.

“Go to Ondo State, interact with people in the market and on the streets, and you will realise that the Mimiko they know is not the same Mimiko you see on the African Independent Television (AIT), Channels and so on.”

Agunloye alleged that Mimiko has spent over N300 million of public funds on the acquisition of 54 awards and “wasted N420 billon on the dressing of projects that were executed by former Governor OluSegun Agagu”.

He said: “What is the essence of being awarded the best governor of the year; the best swagger governor of the year etc, when you have not impacted positively on the life of your people.

“Instead of wealth creation, Mimiko has done what can be described as wealth cancellation and annulment. He met N420 billion in the state’s coffers and spent it without creating any industry, farm settlement or creating jobs.

“The effect of this is telling on our young people, who are carrying arms everywhere. All he has done are oju aiye (cosmetic projects). It is the same with the mega schools, mega hospitals and so on. They all smack of mega fraud.

“If Mimiko believes he will win the October 20 election, he will not be destroying the posters, bill boards and campaign vehicles of other candidates.

“Three of my campaign buses were destroyed on April 28 on my way to a rally in Igbokoda. That is not something people who are winning will do. The brains behind LP have defected to the ACN and many LP members will still do so.”


Source: http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/46903-mimiko-is-jittery-says-agunloye.html

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Ondo ACN aspirants united, says Agunloye

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship aspirant in Ondo State Dr. Olu Agunloye spoke with Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU on the party’s preparation for ‘guided primaries’ for contenders and the October governorship election.

The governorship election in Ondo State is drawing closer. How prepared is ACN for this poll?

I will like to say that we have been in the process of rebuilding and strengthening the structures of the ACN for about one year now. And we have seen a lot of positive results. We can now say categorically that we have an ACN that is stronger, that is prepared, that is much more robust than it used to be. And above all, we have an ACN that is prepared to win the next governorship election. We also have an ACN that is pretty ready to take over governance in Ondo State.

Part of the evidence has been a lot of harvesting, people moving into the ACN. A lot of people have joined our party and we are here in Ilaje to harvest a very important aspect of the development of the ACN. This is part of the work we have been doing in the past four to five months and we are here today, where thousands of people are declaring for the ACN on the platform of Omoluabi. We also have an estimated of four to five thousand PDP members drawn from all over the 18 local government areas of Ondo State also declaring for ACN on the platform of Omoluabi.

The number of aspirants jostling for the ACN ticket is increasing by the day. Don’t you think this can go a long way to whittle down your chances, knowing fully well that Iroko is a formidable contender?

There are two issues. Let’s separate them. One is uprooting iroko, hacking it down, breaking it into pieces and turning it into fire wood. It is an issue that I know the 23 aspirants are committed to trash. We have had issues like an opposition sponsoring somebody. But that has not come at all. There are two issues on the mind of each aspirant. One is to make sure that Mimiko gets out of that place. Two, is to build a strong party. I’m close to other aspirants. I also talk to other aspirants. Recently, when we had an issue, we had to arrange with (Mr. Rotimi) Akeredolu to interpret the law for us.
So, till date, once we go through the election process, there won’t be any problem as (Governor Olusegun) Mimiko and some other people are expecting.

The other one is, why do we have so many aspirants? The most important aspect of this project is building the party and the ACN leadership in its wisdom has chosen one strategy to ease aspirants. That is going on. As I talk to you here, it is possible that (Prof. Ajayi) Borrofice is harvesting some people in Idoani. It is possible that Segun Ojo is harvesting some people in Ifedore and (Tayo) Alasoadura is subduing some stubborn people else where.

This is a process of building the party and the aspirants are working more to build the party than their aspirations. So, you must know where we are coming from. The ACN had been weakened because of the feeling that Labour Party was ACN. And in the last one and half years, it’s been clear to us as Governor Rauf Aregbesola put it that omi eko (pap water) and eko (pap) are not the same. Omi eko is on one side and eko is on the other side. Let everybody bear his father’s name. And we have been making the people to understand that Labour Party (LP) is not the party of our people and it is not the same as the party of the progressives. So, there is no problem about the number of aspirants.
There is this insinuation that Governor Mimiko wants to dump the incumbent deputy governor and pick you as the deputy governor. How true is this?

Well, you must also know that many people run what I call governance by stealing. Some of these things might be coming from him, not only to manipulate the ACN but to manipulate some Labour people who intend to come to the ACN. If anybody tells me to do this, I will ask him to shut up because if I said I was going to become director of works, then you can entice me with the position of a deputy governor. But I said I want to become the governor of Ondo State. I know I’m competent, eminently competent and credible. So, why should anybody want to choose me as deputy governor? This is one of the antics of my adversaries to cause a distortion and disruption on the way people view my candidacy, on the way people view my leadership.

What is the difference between change and continuity? You said you are an agent of change and not continuity?

Well, on the surface of it, it is said that government is a continuity. But here, we don’t talk about the continuity of government. We are talking about the continuity of governance; we are talking about the continuity of leadership that has not created wealth. We are talking about wastage that must stop. We are talking about earning N450 billion in three years and squandering it. That is the situation that must stop.
That is the change we are talking about. Then, we are talking about absence of youth employment, youth engagement and women emancipation, engagement and empowerment and movement to issues where we have sustainable development that encourages participatory governance. That is the change we are talking about. We are talking about change from Labour Party, from a party of hard labour to the party of progressives.

We are talking about change from being a bottled wine in this sub-region to an integration of the commonwealth of Western states to the development agenda which only makes it possible for us to do more this time but to also guarantee the future of our children.

You are a front runner in this race and incidentally, Prof. Borrofice who joined the race later is also a front runner, don’t you think his ambition can undermine your chances since both of you are from Akoko in Ondo North?

Well, I don’t know what you mean by being a front runner? I know I’m number one in the race. The situation allows other people to join. Boroffice is my friend. He’s a professor of Botany. He’s an Akoko person. He’s from Akoko South, where you ‘ve had the only two ambassadors that Ondo State has produced; where you had former governor, (Adebayo) Adefarati, where you have the current deputy governor; where you have the former speaker and current deputy speaker. He (Boroffice) is an eminent Nigerian in his own right and he’s welcome to the race. He’s also part of the people building the party. But his coming into the race has in no way reduced my leadership position in the race and in no way reduced my chances of getting the ticket.

What is your comment on the recent crisis that trailed an attempt to host a memorial lecture in honour of former governor Adefarati?

First, we need to put this correctly. The ACN and its guests did not plan to have a political rally. They did not plan to have political resistance. But the party supporters came there in flowing gowns which showed that they did not really prepare to fight or be fought but rather to celebrate a man who was a governor of Ondo State; to celebrate a man who lived for peace and acted it; a man who acted for fairness, who used the limited resources he had at that time to do some landmark investments including setting up (Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission) OSOPADEC, which now cannot account for almost N100 billion allocated to it.

So, we were not prepared to fight. The fight was started by Labour Party thugs. You also need to know that the police were not able to do anything. I can say categorically the police were not able to do anything to prevent it but of course, supporters of the ACN went to the place and were attacked. That was why a warning was made by the chairman of our party that violence is not the monopoly of anybody and that violence begets violence.

Source: The Nation Newspaper, May 11, 2O12. http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/politics/46171-ondo-acn-aspirants-united-says-agunloye.html

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Day ACN enlarged its coast at Igbokoda

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship aspirants showcased their strengths as they received the former chairman of the Ondo State Oil and Minerals Producing Development Commission (OSPADEC), Prince Adewale Omojuwa, to the party at a rally in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje sub- ethnic nationality, reports Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU. 

 

Ilaje, the fishing community in Ondo State, was aglow with festivities. Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) banners adorned the walls, roundabouts and buses, which conveyed thousands of supporters to the  rally. Party leaders, who were the hosts, were in joyful mood as governorship aspirants and their supporters stormed the ancient town for the ‘rally with a difference.’

To them, Prince Adewale Omojuwa, a prominent politician, who had just dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for theACN, is a big catch. It was actually a defection rally organised to welcome the former chairman of the Ondo State Oil and Minerals Producing Development Commission (OSPADEC), the contenders seized the moment in a demonstration of strength and popularity.

Six of them, accompanied by their supporters, made the event colourful. Former Finance Commissioner Segun Ojo, who had served as the Afenifere national treasurer, climbed the stairs to the podium swiftly in a manner betraying his age. He waved the party flag to the party faithful, singing and dancing.

“Any river that forgets its source will dry up. That is the tragedy of the Ondo State governor”, he declared, amid shouts of his nickname “The General”. Welcoming Omojuwa to ACN, he added: “Mrs. Omojuwa, like her husband, the prince, was a moving spirit in the PDP. She will do the same for ACN. We have swept the carpet off the feet of Labour Party and its end is nearer”. Ojo congratulated Omojuwa for his decision to team up with the ACN, adding; “we are expecting all “Omolubais” outside to come in.”.

Another aspirant, Dr. Olu Agunloye, who rode in an open roof Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), waving at the crowd, stormed the venue with 1,000 ex-militants and about 5,000 PDP and LP defectors. He was accompanied by Lagos politician Mrs. Morenike Adesina Williams, who hails from Akoko. “We must hack Iroko down in the next election,” said the former Power and Steel Minister, who applauded Omojuwa for joining the progressive team. “Labour Party means hard labour in Ondo State. In this area, there is nothing that Mimiko has done for you. We will correct that. We want to correct the ills. But we must first uproot the Iroko”, he added, eliciting wild applause from supporters.

Mrs. Williams, chairman of Igando-Ikotun local council, who had earlier canvassed support for Agunloye, described ACN as “the  Ark of Noah is ready to move”. She said Omojuwa had entered the Ark, urging other well-meaning people to support ACN’s vision and mission in the state. She said: “Let ACN rule Ondo State and Ondo will become another Lagos State. Go to Osun, go to Ogun, go to Oyo, you will see action. Ondo cannot be different.

“I am from Ogbagi-Akoko. We will sweep the bad government away. We want Ondo to become another Lagos. Ondo should liberate itself from misery by voting the ACN”.

 

Senator Ajayi Boroffice also stood out in the crowd, being the only aspirant adorning a white ‘agbada’ on the podium. He arrived few minutes after the supporters of another aspirant, Segun Abraham, came in five new buses donated towards his campaign by his friends. Supporters of the banker-turned politician, Jamiu Akingba, another aspirant from Akoko, mixed freely with the youths carrying the banners of Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, former Finance Commissioner, who is also jostling for the number one seat.

There was no strife and rancour on the campaign field as supporters shared the same canopies, food and drinks. In unison, party members rendered the Ilaje anthem, after singing the national anthem. Other Yoruba sub-ethnic groups present looked in amusement. Although security agents maintained surveillance, there was no report of unruly behaviour during the ceremony  that spanned  nine hours. Yet, the occasion still served as a veritable opportunity for  a popularity test for the contenders in an atmosphere of dignified tolerance and understanding.

ACN senatorial leader in the South District Pa Wale Akintimehin exuded happiness at the impressive turn out, praising Omojuwa as a crowd puller. He said the PDP defector had taken a bold step by crossing to the ACN and congratulated the Ilajes for embracing the best political option. “We will work together and enjoy together. We have good aspirants. What we should do is to cooperate together and achieve success”, he admonished.

Echoing him, the women leader, Erelu Modupe Johnson, said: “We should unite as we move to Alagbaka in as from October”.

However, a party chieftain, Femi Adekanmbi, stressed the challenging task of power shift in a state where violence disrupted the memorial ceremony organised for former Governor Adebayo Adefarati. He said politics should be complemented by prayers. Adekanmbi added: “God who sent Oni packing in Ekiti will send Mimiko away”.

In Okitipupa/ Igbokoda axis, there is the agitation for the zoning of the governorship to the South, and then, Ilaje area. A stalwart, Niyi Olajide, who recently defected to the ACN acknowledged “the wind of change from the PDP to the ACN”. But he  stirred controversy at the rally, when he dwelt on this sensitive issue. He elicited applause when he said: “PDP is dead in Okitipupa Local Government. If anybody says there is PDP there, it is a deceit. We presented Agagu for the Senate, he lost. What is left?”.

However, when Olajide said “Ondo has a zoning formula,”adding that “for now, no governor will come from Okitipupa Local Government; it has produced a deputy governor, minister and governor”, his remarks momentarily polarised the teeming Ikale party supporters. It took the diplomacy of another chieftain, Taiwo Olayiwola, who spoke after him, to douse the tension by elevating “state politics” over the vulgarities of “local politics”, thus re-uniting the collective focus of the party faithful. He spoke briefly on the challenges before the ACN, contending that “this gathering is  evidence that ACN will win Ondo State”.  

Next month, ACN is expected to name its flag bearer. Will the prevailing concord among the contenders last? Agunloye, who spoke with reporters before the rally, assured all that party unity would not be consumed by the selection process. He said the process of building and nurturing the party’s structures, to which his “Omoluabi Campaign Organi-sation” is committed, would not be disrupted.

“We have a stronger, robust ACN ready to win power. We have witnessed the exodus of PDP and LP members to the ACN. We are determined to uproot the Iroko, hack it down and make a wood out of it for firewood”, he added.

Agunloye also pointed out that ACN aspirants are united in their determination to get the LP administration out of the way, foreclosing post-primary crisis.

“The growth in the number of the ACN aspirants means that it is the party of choice. Aspirants are building the party. That is what Boroffice is doing in Akoko, Alasoadura in Akure and others in their localities. Labour Party cannot match ACN again. Its antics of scheming, manipulation and violence will fail,”Agunloye stressed.

Source: The Nation Newspaper, May 9, 2012.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/politics/45932-day-acn-enlarged-its-coast-at-igbokoda.html

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LP, PDP members defect to ACN in Ondo community

The ruling Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State have lost more of their chieftains and members to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Akoko North East area of the state.

The defectors were led by a former council Chairman of the PDP, Mr Olemija Friday, and those of the LP by its former Chairman in Akoko North East Local Government Area. Friday is a member of the state’s Electricity Board.

The over 1,000 defectors were received into the ACN through the Omoluabi Platform of former Defence Minister, Dr. Olu Agunloye.

Kutelu, who was pioneer Chairman of the LP in the local government, noted that the structure of the LP in Akoko North East has collapsed.

He said all his former executive members of the LP, when he was the Caretaker Chairman of the council, joined the ACN because of the alleged deception of the LP’s government in Ondo State.

According to him, Governor Olusegun Mimiko has tactically abandoned and denied the residents of the area their rights, after assisting him to the position.

He said: “It is very unfortunate that Mimiko, whom I worked with and those who worked with him at the initial stage, dumped all of us and embraced new people that were never there for him during the struggle.

“I discovered also that the ACN has become the party of the people in the Southwest. I join the ACN so that I can assist the party to win the next governorship election. I have left the LP together with members of my executive, ward chairmen, women leaders, among others.”

Source: The Nation Newspaper May 4, 2012. 
http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/45410-lp-pdp-members-defect-to-acn-in-ondo-community.html

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Ex-militants join ACN through Omoluabi Platform

More than 1,000 former Niger Delta militants at Igbokoda, in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, joined the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) through the Omoluabi Platform of the ACN . The militants, led by Mr Willie Ayerin, declared at the ceremony that though they have dropped their guns, rockets, bows and arrows to embrace peace in the area through the amnesty programe of the Federal Government, but they are determined to fight for their ancestral heritage by ensuring that the outgoing Labour Party (LP) government in Ondo State is swept out of existence.

The former militants who are now members of a democratic reform group, said the resources of their people have been plaundered by the Mimiko administration, they alleged, who has not done anything in the riverine areas in the last three years.

The group said it is painful to note the goose that lays the golden egg suffer in the midst of plenty. It observed that nothing concrete had been done since Dr Olusegun Agagu left office in 2009.

According to Ayerin, not a kilometer of road has been added to what Agagu did in the riverine communities since he left while all developmental programes embarked upon by the former regime had either been suspended, stopped or cancelled outrightly. Some of these projects, he said, include the now epileptic University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa.

The group enjoined all indegenes of the riverine commnities to support the Dr Olu Agunloye project to rescue the state from the claws of kleptomanias who have made looting of the peoples treasury their past time.

Also at the rally, the former chairman of Ondo State Oil Producing Development Commission (osopadec) Chief Adewale Omojuwa, left the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) with thousands of his supporters accross the state to join the ACN.

Omojuwa said it was time to rescue his people from the claws of senseless leaders whose main purpose in government was to loot the treasury.

He recalled his days in osopadec when most major projects in the riverine communities were flagged off with some completed within the stipulated period. He lamented nothing concrete had been done since he left office.

He promised his followers that the incoming ACN government in the state will put smiles to their faces again and vowed that never will a cosmetic government of deceit like the outgoing LP goverrnment be allowed to manage resources accruable to the state again.


Source: The Nation Newspaper May 3, 2012.

Click on this link: http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/politics/45213-ex-militants-join-acn.html

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