ACN has a case to prove with re-election of Fashola’

WITH  the April general polls fast approaching, several candidates including incumbent governors have been declaring their interest in the polls.

Lagos State is one of the states which is believed to be a benchmark for good governance and where dividends of democracy seem to be working.
However, the  silence of Governor Babatunde Fashola  over his second term ambition this year has been a source of  concern to  Lagosians. In this interview, Mr. Olukayode Salako, the president of Fasholamania Support Movement Worldwide, speaks on Lagos ACN, Fashola, the new governments in Ekiti and Osun states,  among other national issues.
As the leader of one of the groups  campaigning for Fashola’s re-election, do you think he stands any chance of making it at the primary, considering his silence on second term?
The palpable silence  in the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), as well as  in the opposition, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State now, is a clear indication that the re-election issue of Gov. Fashola is a strong factor. Never in the history of Lagos State has this happened  politically! By now, in the Lagos that I know, with barely 14 days to January 15 when the  submission of the names of the parties’ flagbearers to INEC  would  be closing, a lot of things should have been happening politically, but nothing serious is yet happening!
This is not good. And, this is not really palatable for the  image of the party the majority of Nigerians have been looking up to as the saviour of  Nigeria. This is not good for the progressive party in Nigeria in these elections.
The best that can happen to ACN now is to prove it to Nigerians that it is truly a ‘progressive’  party and not a deception or confusion! Fashola has governed Lagos well and  deserves everybody’s  support and co-operation including that of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.We cannot entertain any disappointment from any quarters in ACN. Many of us are not really interested in the politics in  Fashola, but the governance in him!
In about 1,300 days, he has proved it to us, in fact, to the world, that we deserve his kind of leadership and its continuity. His government within an amazing period of  time has given Lagos security, sanity, peace, law and order, cleanliness, environmental sanitation and aesthetics and, above all, much improved socio_ economic prosperity.
What else would one bargain for in a leadership and governance? Fashola deserves continuity and must be compensated by his party, unless that party wants to disappoint Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora! Governor Fashola is the one majority of Lagosians want to continue to govern them. I am not sure they want anybody else now!
What gives you and your people the assurance that all these efforts will pay off at the end of the day?
We are very sure  Fashola will go for second term. It is Asiwaju that gave us that assurance. He is the one that said that BRF is the best man for the job in 2007 and the man has proved it convincingly, beyond reasonable doubt.
What  will your movement do  should Governor Fashola be denied second term ticket by ACN?
I don’t pray it happens. Honestly, I don’t believe so, because ACN is  a progressive party that promises to deliver Nigeria from misrule; socio-economic darkness and sufferings in the midst of plenty! ACN should represent a total positive opposite of PDP and a saving alternative according to their crusade.
So, it is expected that ACN should join or encourage Nigerians to celebrate one of, in fact, their best governor in Nigeria and not do anything that will make Nigerians start doubting the sincerity of their party. Fashola is the present glory of ACN.
His performance, achievements, leadership style, personality and characteristic values and virtues have combined to make the party  popular and accepted by not only Lagosians, but Nigerians in and outside Nigeria. That name, Fashola,  is a positive appeal for the present widespread acceptance of ACN in Nigeria today. It is a strong attraction and a pleasant appeal to the judiciary, the opposition parties, foreign investors, Nigerians in the Diaspora, politicians from other countries and people from other  states.
You claim not to be a politician and you are not an activist. Why are you at the vanguard of this agitation and where do you anticipate it will end or lead you to?
I have always been passionate and concerned  about the unenviable state of our society. I had always been looking forward to a period in the life of our nation or a period in my life when I can really witness an acceptable, outstanding and rewarding leadership or governance and contribute to encourage and celebrate it.
Honestly, the first time I got to the U.K and Johannesburg in South Africa, I was emotionally sick because of the man-made wonders I saw, flowing amazingly everywhere. Everything was organised, beautiful, perfect, and modern- just name it! But here, the reverse is the case.
We have been enjoying and priding in the giant of Africa status inside environmental, infrastructural and economic decadence, chaos and darkness. But, today, Fashola’s  government  impressed me so much, hence I  decided to be part of the people  celebrating it and it will be on record that I am really satisfying myself doing what I am doing.
ACN has about five states under  its control, including Ekiti and Osun recently added. What do you think is the implication of this trend for the elections.?
I have always said it that ACN is about the only progressive  party in Nigeria today, because of the  composition of its leadership; the quality programmes on its manifesto and the outstanding performance of its governors. The best set of decent and progressively-minded politicians today in Nigeria are in ACN.  Any state ACN is governing today is very lucky.
So, my states, Ekiti and Osun ( I am from both places), are very lucky and I can only welcome them to the league of the  progressive states in Nigeria. Governors Fayemi and Aregbesola like Fashola and Oshiomhole of Edo  are two decent people that will develop their states. I know it and I believe their governments will change the stories of those states — they will contribute to the development their states deserve.
I wish them best of luck. As to what the victories portend for ACN in the elections, I see the party winning more states, because already, people from other states are yearning for the kind of rapid transformation Lagos and Edo are enjoying. People now want ACN of Fashola to come and govern their states.
The name Fashola and his governing style  and ideals are very popular even among the northen Almajiris and the nursery and primary school pupils in the eastern part of the country.
I strongly believe that the influence of positive appeal and acceptance  Fashola has built now is so strong it can win many more states for the party in the next elections. Already, I see Ogun and Oyo states being captured by ACN this year, unless their people are not yet serious about the positive and tangible change they deserve. I see ACN forming the Federal Government after President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure in  2015. I see an ACN  that will cripple the dominant influence of PDP with the like of Gov. Fashola still doing the party proud in governance soon.
What advice do you have for  the party leadership as they take decisions towards the primary elections in ACN before January 15?
I want Asiwaju and ACN to accept the fact that Fashola is the governor of the generality of Lagosians and the people love him so much. The people do not see any reason he should be replaced as their governor when he has performed very well.
They still want him to continue to govern them till 2015. How will ACN convince us that BRF does not deserve continuity? What tenable reason will they give us that will be tenable to the people? Lagosians want him; Nigerians in the Diaspora want him; members of the opposition political parties all desire him to spend his constitutionally allowed eight  years – the first of its kind in the history of Nigeria!
What ACN should realise today is that Nigerians are yearning for the development of their society, the people are tired of living in socio-economic darkness and frustration! Today, it is only very few people that are interested in the politics they are playing, almost everybody is very much interested in good governance.
The electorate are now very much interested in the way they are being governed or the quality of governance they get from their leaders and not the quality of politics the leaders can play. My advice to the leadership and followership of ACN is to continue to be on the side of the love and acceptance of the people.

Source:http://www.vanguardngr.com