The Action Alliance (AA) on Sunday held its national convention in Osogbo, where Mr Adekunle Omoaje emerged National Chairman, and other executives were elected to pilot affairs of the party.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the election, the newly-elected National Chairman of the party said the new executives would reposition the party for greater achievements in the nation’s political arena.
Omoaje said that the new party executives would work assiduously to bring in more youths into their fold.
“After our swearing-in today, we will start massive registration of members into our party. AA is a household name among political parties in Nigeria. We will use the influence of all our elders and leaders to attract more people, especially the youth, to the party, by God’s grace,” he said.
At the national convention of the party, Mr Suleiman Abdulrasheed emerged the National Secretary and Mrs Deborah Banjo, the Deputy National Secretary, while Alhaji Ibrahim Isha and Mr Obaro Samuel became the National Treasurer and National Financial Secretary respectively.
Other new executives of the party are Abdulwasiu Adeyemi, National Deputy Financial Secretary; Mr Olaniyi Fadahunsi, National Auditor; Mr Olu Omotoso, National Publicity Secretary and Mr Rufai Abiodun, Legal Adviser.
The remaining new executives are Hajia Aisha Abdullahi, Deputy National Women Leader; Dr Mike Madu, National Youth Leader; National Vice Chairman, South-West, Mr Joshua Adewale, Mr Solomon Oken, National Vice Chairman, South-East and Mr Bright Owobrie, National Vice Chairman, South-South.
A large number of delegates across the country were present at the convention. The new national executives were elected through voice votes.
New National Chairman speaks on party deregistration by INEC
Meanwhile, the new party chairman has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to as well wield its big stick against big political parties flouting its rules rather than being a bully to smaller political parties.
The new National Chairman of the AA made this comment shortly after his emergence, stressing that having over 70 political parties is not healthy for the nation’s political landscape.
He charged the electoral commission not to be partial in wielding its big hammer against any political party that flout it’s rules and regulations.
According to him, parties are not deregistered based only on poor performance during elections, but also for issues such as lack of financial transparency, spread of office and officials among others.
He said parties including the big two flouted the commission’s financial rules with impunity, saying until INEC sanctioned the big parties before it could be taken seriously on sanitising the polity.
“INEC should demonstrate its seriousness by going after the big parties, sanction them for flouting its rules on party finances and many other rules. With this, the smaller parties would sit tight. INEC behaves like a bully against the smaller parties and is scared to touch the big ones.
“I am for five political parties so that if you are blocked from contesting on the big platforms by the super-rich, there would always be an alternative platform to test ones acceptability,” Omoaje said.
Speaking on his ambition for the party, Omoaje said with the support of other executive members, the party embark on membership registration with a view to preparing the party for future elections.