For the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the South-West geopolitical zone appears to be the focal point of attention, especially in the preparations towards the 2015 general election. But the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) appears set to up the stakes and join in the race for the votes of the electorate in the region. Charles Akinsete writes on the recent efforts of the leadership of the party towards achieving this goal.There is no doubt that South-West region of the country is fast becoming a political bride, waiting to be wooed by several political parties, particularly the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The 2015 general election, according to watchers of political events, is the reason behind this resolution, as the two parties have reportedly been working towards effective political restructuring, including having media briefings and clandestine meetings towards achieving the same set goal.For the PDP, the result of the 2011 general election in the South-West came as a rude shock, as the then main opposition in the geopolitical zone, the ACN, completely swept four out of the five states in the region, including another South-South state, Edo. The PDP has, since then, been licking its wounds in the region, with party faithful insisting that the internal divisions and factionalisation, which were the principal albatross of the party in the 2011 elections, be curbed, if the party wants to remain at the helms of affairs in 2015. But the ruling ACN has a different story, a story of resounding victory which, according to the leadership of the party, must be guarded jealously. Therefore, a reconsolidation of efforts remains in the front burner of the party as its battle song for 2015 in the South-West continues to resonate across the zone.But there was a twist in the event, as another opposition party, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), recently sent out a warning signal to the usual contenders that it is set and would definitely become a strong political force in the South-West. This assertion, of course, is also linked to the preparations for the electoral battle for the soul of the region in 2015. Rumours had made the rounds that intrinsic strategies were being deployed by the leadership of the CPC, with the party said to have begun calculated campaigns across the length and breadth of the nation. Speculations were also rife that the party, in view of the 2015 election, has shifted its eyes to the South-West, in its vanguard towards selling its ideology of good governance and respect for the rule of law.There was, indeed, a confirmation of this report when, on Thursday, 26 April, the leadership of the party in the South-West geopolitical zone, led by the National Vice-Chairman, South-West, Alhaji Razaq Muse, had a series of meetings geared towards achieving the much-touted goal. The venue was the Cedar Resort Hall, NTC road, Ibadan, Oyo State, where the CPC party faithful had gathered for a serious deliberation on the way forward. Shortly before granting a press conference, the stakeholders in the party held a closed door meeting for hours, while other party faithful hung around the premises of the Hall, waiting for the result of the inner caucus deliberations. Feelers gathered from the scenario suggested that the CPC might mean business as several party members were seen in groups and pairs, discussing the essence of the gathering and offering strategic responses to feelers posed by their colleagues. During the press conference, which took place around 12:45p.m., the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Abideen Oladimeji, welcomed party leaders and members to the gathering before formally introducing the special guest of the occasion, the National Vice-Chairman, South-West of the party.Alhaji Muse wasted no time on formalities as he went straight into the business of the day. While emphasising the purpose of the gathering, the CPC leader expressed delight at the turn-out of the leadership of the party in the South-West, saying that this was the beginning of the reform dream which must become a reality. 'Let the people of Oyo State and the South-West in general be aware of our intention to promote the ideology of the CPC, which centres on good governance, devoid of corrupt tendencies. Plans are in top gear to properly entrench the party's structure, especially in the South-West geopolitical zone,' he said, stressing that the central focus of the gathering was to restructure and reposition the party towards the 2015 election.Reacting to the outcome of the party in the 2011 general election, Alhaji Muse said that the party's unimpressive response was not because of the ideology or political will, but because the party structure was not properly entrenched, particularly in the South-West. He, however, promised that it would be a different ball game in the next election, as the party now have enough time to prepare.'You will all recall that the CPC did not do so well in the 2011 general election, especially in the South-West. The party was only registered 10 months before the elections kicked off. Despite that, there were good results in the North, but the case was not so in the South. The party structure was not really in place in the South-West. But we have reappraised the situation and we have been fortifying our structures. We are now determined to make the CPC, especially the South-West, popular, people-oriented and ideologically driven. The party is now better organised and focused.'Apart from the ACN, the PDP has been ruling this country for more than 13 years. The fact remains that there is little or nothing to show for this. We cannot continue to watch while our people continue to suffer because of bad leadership. So apart from preparing for the next general election, we also intend to offer constructive input even in the present government, all towards providing the necessary platform for the development of our nation. We are repositioning the CPC as a vanguard for good governance and we will ensure, this time round, that the mistakes of the past are not repeated again,' he said.While speaking on the state of the nation, the National Vice-Chairman, South-West, lamented the rate of poverty which had besieged the country, principally as a result of corruption. He stressed that part of the manifestoes of the CPC was the necessity to expunge corruption, saying that it would be almost impossible for the nation to develop, if corruption was constantly entrenched. 'We advocate for true federalism. Nigeria is not practising that right now. This also dovetails into our manisfesto. In addition to that, the present system of government is not properly positioned to fight corruption. The immunity clause should be removed, but we don't think the PDP is capable to doing that because the party is in power. It would amount to shooting itself in the foot.'We therefore appeal to our party faithful and the people of the South-West that the CPC is set for a better transformed society through corruption-free and transparent governance. We are getting set for 2015,' he concluded.Among the party leaders present at the meeting include the state chairmen of the South-Westgeopolitical zone, Chief Ajibade Emiabata-Balogun (Lagos), Honourable Babatunde Sunday (Ekiti), Honourable Joseph Osunlalekan, Alhaji Jamiu Sanni (Ogun) and the deputy chairman, Honourable Kunle Musashiru (Ogun), including the executive members of the Oyo State chapter of the party, among others. However, some political analysts have insisted that the CPC may not really have what it takes to gain the much-desired followership in the South-West for several reasons. In terms of political weight and party structure, it could, according to them, take the CPC decades to successfully out-weight the political structure of the ruling ACN and the PDP, as both are serious contenders for the votes of the electorate. The CPC would have to go the extra mile to pull a serious stunt in the 2015 election.Another factor, which may dent the chances of the CPC in the South-West, is the paranoia of Northern influence. Many people in the South still view the CPC as a Northern party. Therefore, to vote for the party, according to these opinion experts, could suggest another form of political hegemony of the North over the South. Therefore, for the CPC to win the hearts of these electorate, it must vehemently debunk the insinuations. Nevertheless, going by the mind-set of the present-day leadership of the CPC in the South-West, the PDP and ACN may, indeed, find themselves in the wake of another revolution, the last which favoured the ACN to the detriment of the hitherto ruling PDP in the South-West zone. It remained to be seen if the CPC would be able win the hearts of the people and deliver on its promises of effective governance.
Click here to read full news..
