Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday took a swipe at the Peoples Democratic Party for declaring that there was “no vacancy” in Aso Rock for 2015.
Fashola who spoke at the public presentation of Witness to History: Action Congress of Nigeria and the Struggle for Democracy, Liberty and Justice, a book written by the publicity secretary of ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, containing about 1,200 of his press releases, described the statement as “reckless and irresponsible.”
He asked the PDP to inform the country the basis for such utterance when the general elections was still two years away.
The Governor advised the ruling party to commence preparations towards relinquishing power as their time was due.
“The very notion that there would be a contest suggests that there would be a vacancy in 2015. It is a very important revelation to the mindset of that team and therefore it is important to those who may listen to us not to take things for granted,” he said.
In his remarks, Buhari, who wrote the foreword of the book, said the ACN convention held last week in Lagos had kick-started the things to come for the APC, revealing that the CPC would hold its last convention on May 11 in Abuja while the All Nigeria Peoples Party,ANPP, would hold its own same day in Zamfara State.
He said, “With this merger, we should mobilise our constituency, and I don’t think that any political party along the line will attempt to rig because there wouldn’t be any need for that.
“Nigerians are very serious about it and we are determined to continue with our plan. This merger is going to be rare. We are very solidly ready to ensure that the vote of Nigerians counts in the next elections.”
He lauded the author’s courage, saying he has earned huge respect through the office he held and his tenacity to point out the deficit of the government at the centre.
In his reaction, Niger State Governor Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu said the PDP did not say there won’t be elections, adding that “there must be elections in this country, but what we are saying when we say there is no vacancy is true, unless you work hard for it”.
On the APC merger by opposition parties, Mu’azu disclosed that he was glad the merger was successful as it make the ruling party sit up.
“I was one of the first people to pray for the success of the merger. I did that so that we don’t take things for granted in this country. When people come together and realise we share certain things in common and that exists to give the electorate other opinion to say, this is where we will take a better view.”
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