The crisis rocking the Alliance for Democracy[AD], has deepened asย the party choose a new leadership at its National Convention which held in Abuja on Saturday, March 7, with its Presidential candidate, Mr Fafiu Salau, emerging as its new National Chairman.
The convention which was attended byย leaders of the party from different parts of the country, took a decision jettisoningย Senatorย Mojisoluwa Akinfenwaย who has remainedย the partyโs National Chairman for over eight years.
The party leaders were said to have become disenchanted with Akinfenwaโs leadership style whichย they alleged is in pursuit of his selfish ambition.ย They alleged further that that the former National Chairmanย did not carry the rest of the party leaders along in endorsingย President Goodluck Jonathan โsย second term ambition.
Speaking to reporters in Abujaย after emerging the new helmsman of the party,ย Salua said that Akinfenwa had insulted the sensibilities of theย partyโsย leaders and followers alike by the way he hadย gone about the endorsement of President Jonathan.
โ Though we are not completely against the ambition of the President to go for a second term , we however , consider it an affront for one man to go negotiating with our party for that purpose, without carrying the rest of the leadership alongโ, Salau said.
Another leading member of the party who preferred not to be quoted, accusedย Senator Akinfenwa of making financialย gains from his dealings with the Presidency without letting other leaders of the party know what is involved.
โHe calls some people and gives them pittance and asks them toย align themselves with the endorsement of President Jonathan without letting into the full negotiation he had with the Presidentโs men. Now we are saying we will no longer allow ourselves to be led by the noseโ, the man said.
A statement issued after the convention where Akinfenwa was removed, instructedย allย members of every organ of the party, to โabide by the constitution of the party, rules and regulations of political partiesย and the Electoral Act, when taking decisions on behalf of the partyโ.
The convention also carried out an amendment ofย Article 21 of the partyโs constitution, to read that โany candidate for election into the party Executive Committee at all levels, must be belowย the ageย of 75 years.ย Any party member above 75 yearsย can only be a member of the Board of Trusteeโ.
Akinfewaย who is said to be planning a meeting of his faction of the party in Lagos, could not be reachedย at the time of filing in this report.
