By Dapo Akinrefon
The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, is not resting on its oars to ensure that it is again prominent in the politics of Nigeria especially in the South West geo-political zone.

The party which has transformed twice since it was first formed in 2006 has changed from being the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) through the Action Congress (AC) to its present form, ACN.

It has along the way been strengthened increasing from its occupancy of one Government House in 2006 to its present hold in three States, Lagos, Edo and Ekiti.

No thanks to the doggedness of former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Perhaps, the ACN is trying to repeat the same feat that was recorded by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo under whom the defunct Action Group (AG) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) held sway in the Southwest..

Before it went into oblivion the Alliance for Democracy AD, had between 1999 and 2003 sustained the progressive politics of Awolowo in the Southwest with its firm control of all the states in the South West. It also had firm grip of the State Houses of Assembly.

But in 2003, it was not the same for the AD and the All Nigeria Peoples Party,  ANPP especially the former. In the peak of the 2003 general elections, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, came up with a political tsunami which led to the AD losing five out of its six states, leaving only Lagos State.

As a result of his failure to capture Lagos State, which had Tinubu then at the helm of affairs, Obasanjo was accused of starving the state of local government funds following the decision of the state to create Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs.

The battle however, led to the Supreme Court ruling in favour of Lagos State.

In the build up to the 2007 general elections, the Alliance for Democracy, AD, was engulfed in crisis of leadership, which led to most of its stalwarts leaving the party.

Tinubu, along side his teeming supporters, left the AD to form the ACD which later transformed into the AC and then the ACN.

Former governors of the South West and aggrieved PDP members who felt shortchanged also joined the AC fold.

The ACN, however, may not find things easy as planned following the perception by many that the party is seen more of a regional party than one having a national outlook.

Aside, there are strong indications that the Edo State Comrade governor Adams Oshiomhole, may defect to the Labour Party. This may work against the party if this comes into fruition.

However, recent developments in the South West have indicated that the ACN is attempting to reclaim its lost territories, which was invaded by the PDP, with the help of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

With the loss of Ekiti, the PDP in the South West may not find it easy. It has continued to sulk over the development and may find things going awry.

Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, at a meeting of the PDP South West leaders, held in Shagamu, lamented the loss of Ekiti State and further expressed fear that if the PDP in the region does not get its acts right, it might record a dismal loss in 2011.

Only recently, former Governor Tinubu, bragged that PDP will lose in the 2011 general elections in the South West.

He harped on the fact that the party ACN would defeat PDP by sweeping the party from the political landscape in the zone. He was, however quick to point out that with the principle of one man, one vote in place, PDP would  lose in the elections across the country, especially in the South West.

He enthused that “We are going to drive them away; PDP will lose in the South West Zone through  one man one vote which is in line with a constitutional democracy and  a reliable electoral register.  If Jega’s integrity is anything that he must protect, then PDP will lose in the South West Zone.”

Besides, he affirmed that PDP has never been in existence in Lagos State adding that it (PDP) had been crying wolf and threatening to take over the state since 1999, but was yet to even come close to the seat of power in the state.

“PDP”, he said, “doesn’t  exist in Lagos. I don’t know where they are in Lagos; they are on paper, we have allowed  them to cry and cry. Since 1999, PDP has been crying to take over Lagos. They came with their tsunami, we swept them away, and they cried that they are going to conquer, we said no, we are not at war.”

The former Lagos State governor, who expressed delight at the present ordeal of the PDP adding “they said they  were going to destroy and capture; we are saying that we are not in slavery. You see what is happening around them?  They are chop and lets chop party that I don’t reckon with.  It is a party without one councillor in Lagos.”

A former Minister of Works, Senator Seye Ogunlewe said the only way the PDP could stop the onslaught of the ACN and come back to limelight is for the fold to re-strategise.

Ogunlewe explained that though there will be no elections in both Ekiti and Ondo States respectively, that “it is left to PDP now to strategise and win Lagos, Oyo, Ogun and Osun States. It is all about strategy, it was through strategy that the ACN won in Ekiti, elections are not won by wishes, they are won by strategy, that is the way to win an election.”

As the 2011 race gathers momentum, it will be interesting how the PDP and ACN will slug it out in the South West and who will eventually blink first when the chips are down.