23 Governors Behind APC, Says Lai Mohammed

[TGD]

 NATIONAL Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has disclosed that no fewer than 23 governors are solidly behind the merger process of the country's major opposition parties into the yet-to-be-registered All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said that although 11 governors have openly declared their support for the merger, 23 governors are already in the fold of the APC noting that 12 more governors had signified interest to join the party when the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) officially registers it.

Speaking in Lagos Friday at Senator Oluremi Tinubu's Seventh Town Hall Meeting with constituents of Lagos Central Senatorial District which held with the theme "Making the Sacrifice for Development", Mohammed said: "The governors will make their declaration after the party is registered, likely in two weeks time. We are likely to get our registration certificate by the end of June or second week of July."

He noted that the setback in submitting the APC application to the electoral umpire was due to the complicity involved when several parties are trying to merge unlike when a single political party is trying to get registered.

"Merging is not an easy process; it is complicated. Aside from the stipulated name, constitution and logo change, each of the merging parties must hold special convention of its party to adopt the merger," he stated.

Addressing participants of the town hall meeting, Senator Tinubu emphasised the need to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people, noting that the APC was an assurance of hope for the country.

To her, the prevailing situation in the country can only be rescued by a storm of change in which everyone participates sacrificially.

According to Tinubu, "without the genuine change and development being advocated by our great movement, APC, Nigeria risks further descent into the abyss of underdevelopment and backwardness."

On the bill seeking special status for Lagos, Tinubu explained that "the bill is imperative when the Constitution Review Committee chose to treat our advocated Special Status for Lagos as an issue to be left out of the constitution.

"Consequently, the three Senators from Lagos have sponsored a bill pursuant to Section 164 (1) of the Constitution, which seeks the provision of financial grants to Lagos State in recognition of its role as the economic nerve centre of the country."

Tinubu used the event as a platform to distribute 220 General Certificate of Examination (GCE) forms free of charge to youths selected across the senatorial district that needed additional subjects required for admission into tertiary institutions.

Dignitaries at the event included the wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola; former Minister of State for Defence, Demola Seriki; Chairman, Lagos chapter of ACN, Chief Henry Ajomole; Oprah Benson; and Prince Tajudeen Olusi, among others.



The Guardian