By SIMON EBEGBULEM,GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE, DAPO AKINREFON
NATIONAL Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Bisi Akande who was Tuesday returned unopposed during its party national convention held in Benin City, said that the task of the party was to groom young Nigerians to take over the running of the affairs of the country from 2011.

Besides, former Lagos state Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, declared that the days of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government are numbered, saying that the duo of President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, lacked the character and strength to govern the country.

Meanwhile, the national leadership of the ACN at its national convention has expelled the chairman of the party in Delta state, Chief Sam Egwuronwu and state secretary of the party, Duncan Ewhere for what it described as “gravest anti party activities”.

Chief Akande who in his acceptance speech,  hinted that he will quit the stage after he must have installed a youth as President and Governors of the 36 states of the Federation, stated that “ I come to serve my country. It is starting with the governor of Lagos state, who became lucky, we have the governor of Edo state who became luckier, we had the governor of Ekiti state, the three of them became much luckier and we had the governor of Osun state, all of them belongs to the class of the youths.

“Now that the ACN and the entire people of this country are happy with the achievements of these young men, I think with all your cooperation, we will ensure that we return another young man as the President of Nigeria and the governors of all the states of the Federation.  Thereby, we old men can complete of our jobs of getting disconnected with the youths of this country and youths have been able to take over. With this short speech, I accept my election as the new national chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)”.

The four Governors of the ACN, Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Babatunde Fashola (Lagos) and Dr Kayode Fayemi and former Governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu, maintained that the party has all it takes to take over the governance of Nigerian come 2011, saying that both President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are recycled leaders that would be thrown out by the electorate after the 2011 general elections.

According to Tinubu, the youths must be ready to resist election rigging and imposition of candidates, adding that “for you to wrestle power you must start from the registration. There will be registration exercise you must mobilize your neighbors, all your friends who are eligible to vote. Today, the PDP after spending ten years in power, twelve years in power, they introduced do or die politics into Nigeria. We said we will not die they better go and die if they want. We will not tolerate violence.  We will not tolerate electoral malpractice.

“Freedom is not easy. Ladies and gentlemen, in our dear country power is not going be given to you like they sell Isiewu in the buka. You must be ready and it will start from the registration. The ACN has started the construction of a great Nigeria. The transformation of this country from this moment on, we are going to free Nigeria clean of corruption. We are going to clean Nigeria clean of abuse of office. Like Obadan said, be hopeful, hope is on the way.

“With ACN in power, be hopeful, faith, help is on the way. It is bye bye to disintegrated infrastructure. This government called poverty development party, they call PDP, they have made Nigerians poorer in the last twelve years. They have created unemployment for over millions and several millions of people. Are you not tired of them? Instead of talking about the issue of electricity, they are busy abusing themselves, they are busy dividing Nigeria. They are busy talking about dichotomy.

“Turn by turn Nigeria. Even if they are not competent they don’t have competent candidates. Where is their character, where is their integrity, who is eligible among them, non, zero. They don’t even think about the content of the character of each of those candidates. They don’t even think about the capacity of those individuals. Believe you me Goodluck is not elastic, there is a limit to Goodluck. There is a limit to the inconsistency of an Atiku government. That is the end of a recycling mechanism, recycling electoral method, recycling and abuses of power. We will sweep the corruption, we will sweep unemployment we will sweep PDP away”, he stated.

On his part, Governor Oshiomhole stated that “the task of today is to rebuild and re-energize the ACN fighting machine so that you have strength to meet the challenges ahead, I have no doubt that we are all ready for the changes that are about to occur next year. As I said previous leaders have said all that needs to be said and today is not a day to make long speech. Once again I thank all of you for coming to Edo state and Benin City. This city and this state has demonstrated that changes are possible. May your visit to this state fire your appetite and give you the confidence to recognize that the forces you confront   are not invisible, they can be defeated and they will be defeated”.

Rauf Aregbesola said that “ACN has demonstrated to Nigerians that it is a party that is committed to their welfare and development and it is ready to take over Nigeria. The difference is that we do not pretend that all is well in the country. We will work until its dignity is restored”.

Other elected officers are, deputy National chairman, Boss Mustapha, National Secretary, Lawal Shuaibu, National Publicity Secretary, Lai Muhammed, National Vice-Chairman South West, Senator Segun Laguju, North East, Khali El-Gazali, South South Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, North Central Captain John Dee and South East, Dr Chudi Nwike.

Deputy national Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Idris Rufai, Deputy National Treasurer, Prince Segun and deputy national Auditor, Mrs Ngozi Ogbolu.