The reason we all believed that we should form AC was because we felt that we needed a broad based platform that would span beyond the region and beyond ethnic politics, where the ideals of the progressives would be pushed forward, where there would be true internal democracy, where you can aspire to be what you want to be, where you can strive to be who God has created you to be, where you do not require somebody who will be your godfather and hand over to you what does not belong to you.

MR. Bukhari Bello, presently the subject of speculations for the chairmanship of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has a history of rebellion to the very system that has upheld electoral fraud in Nigeria.

Ekiti has not ceased to be in the news especially over the 2007 general elections which is still in contention in the state. Few weeks ago the Election Petition Tribunal, affirmed Governor Segun Oni’s victory in a petition by Action Congress candidate AC, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who has indicated his intention to go on second appeal.

Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri is the Minister of Police Affairs and Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Yobe State. In this interview, Adamu says about N1.6 trillion has been earmarked for the training, employment, rehabilitation, social support, image rebranding of the Nigerian Police over a six year period. He is also in support of the party’s zoning system to enable President Goodluck Jonathan contest in 2011.

They decide who does what and horse-trade amongst themselves within each party to decide who becomes what and alienate the ordinary Nigerians, denying them of the chance to choose the type of people they want as their leaders. I think that we should address the kind of democratic practice within the political parties and nominations for office because when people are nominated, Nigerians will lose the chance of choosing the people they want.

The strategy cannot be far fetched. The people were completely despondent, over laboured by the crass intolerance of the ruling class, the few elements who were pauperized them, who have made them slaves in their own land. There was a total lack of development, in fact Edo State was not a state that could be navigated from anywhere.

Well, Dr Ogbemudia is our leader and father and he believes in the autonomy of the party in every senatorial district. And that is where I stand. There must be internal democracy in the state PDP where you allow leaders and the people of other districts to elect their representatives. Each senatorial district must be allowed autonomy of its own. Without that the party cannot go any where in the state.

Tomorrow is exactly 11 years since this republic ‘s democratic journey began. Eleven years is not a milestone but that does not however detract from political stock taking, especially at this critical period. This year’s democracy day, which ever way it s viewed, bears some significance on the polity. It is the last before the much talked 2011 general elections.

Former secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Olu Falae has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to forget his ambition of succeeding himself but to limit himself to conducting of a free, fair and transparent election that will be acceptable to all Nigeria

CHAIRMAN Senate Committee on Privatization, Senator Ayo Arise has said that President Goodluck Jonathan is free, under the 1999 Constitution, to contest the 2011 presidential elections.