The Action Congress of Nigeria has expanded in scope and spread of governance since the last elections early this year. It has governments in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun and Ekiti states in spirit and in presence and also has a government in Edo state but only in presence. The spirit of Oshiomhole's ACN in Edo state is obviously not the spirit of the die-hard Tinubu surrogates in the Governors Offices of the South-West.By omission or commission, the ACN has taken on a strange character never before seen in any political party that has taken dominance in the South-West. The South- West is a religiously liberal zone. Muslims and Christians cohabit in peace and love not because the people of the area are atheists, but because due regard is given to individual religious rights and preferences. From the inception of dynamic political activities in the zone, due sensitivity has been accorded the rights of the dominant religions in the political space. Chief Obafemi Awolowo was very careful in his political configurations. As his political machine threw up leaders like himself and S.L Akintola of the Christian faith, so it also threw up others like Dauda Adegbenro, S. L Gbadamosi of the Muslim faith. Alhaji Lateef Jakande was in the mix of governors like Bola Ige, Bisi Onabanjo and Adekunle Ajasin. The religious mix in political offices has never been exactly equal but it has also never been completely ignored. In recent times, it has in fact taken on added sensitivity materialising in the careful balancing of positions in government cabinets between Muslims and Christians. It is such sensitivity that has sustained the religious peace in the South-West.The character of ACN governance in the South-West has defied all the sensitivity of the past. Raji Fashola, its governor in Lagos State is a muslim. Ibikunle Amosun, its governor in Ogun state is a muslim. Abiola Ajimobi, its governor in Oyo State is a muslim. Rauf Aregbesola, its governor in Osun State is a muslim. If you thought Kayode Fayemi, its governor in Ekiti State was a Christian, find the pictures of the last Eid-el -Kabir prayers in the newspapers and you will find him among the faithful dutifully praying to Allah. Now add to the governors, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the national leader of the party, Bisi Akande the National Chairman of the party and my good friend Lai Mohammed, the spokesman of the party. These are the principal and visible officers of the party and they are all muslims. How did ACN get into this arrogance of religious insensitivity' Are there no Christians in the party capable of service as governors' If they are good enough to be deputy governors why were they sidelined from the main saddle' Is something going on that is only shared in the top echelon of the party' Let nobody come around to reel off names of members of ACN who are Christians. We know they exist. It is not the members that make a party it is the ideological inclination of the leadership that is the party. What the ACN is saying today to the people of the South-West is that it has found capacity for leadership only in Muslims in the region. Let us see how Christians will take up the challenge.
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