APC Is Govenment In Waiting — Tinubu

National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Monday said the proposed All Progressives Congress was a government-in-waiting.

This came as former Head of State, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), said the merger of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Congress for Progressive Change and the All Nigeria Peoples Party was real.

They spoke in Lagos on Monday during the presentation of a book, Witness to History, written by ACN’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lai Mohammed.

Present on the occasion were Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola; his Niger State counterpart, Babangida Aliyu; former Lagos Governor Lateef Jakande, and the book reviewer, Mr. Odia Ofiemum.

Among others were former Minister of Federal Capital Territory Nasir el-Rufai; Prof. Yemi Osibanjo; Lagos State Commissioner for Justice, Femi Ipaye; Mr. Femi Gbajiabiamila, and Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Tinubu, who presented the book, noted that with the formation of APC, a great storm had come to Nigeria.

The former Lagos governor said, “The storm is here. APC is the storm and positive storm for that. We are mindful that change never comes easy. We need to arm ourselves for the great task ahead.

“We have been in the opposition for too long. We do not need to use the word ‘opposition’ for ourselves. We are ‘progressives’ and ‘government in waiting.’ We stand for something. We stand for democracy, liberty and justice. We also stand for prosperity, economic advancement and eradication of corruption.”

He said the party did not hate anyone; rather it is opposed to bad governance, poverty, hunger, corruption, among other socio-economic ills.

Buhari said, “The merger is going to be real. We are not afraid of anybody. If we can mobilise our constituents, I do not think any sensible person will attempt to rig.

“The merger is the only way we can defeat rigging.”

He said the ACN had ratified the merger, noting that the CPC would hold its convention on May 11.

He lauded the author, saying he had consistently pointed out the shortcomings of the present administration in the country.

Tinubu also described him as noble and patriotic, saying without him; the ACN would not have achieved what it had achieved.

Fashola said he took exception to a statement by a party that there was no vacancy in Aso Villa in 2015.

He said the comment was unthinkable and was laced with important revelation.

“For a party to say there is no vacancy in the highest position in the land contains an important revelation. In the constitution, there will be a vacancy in 2015. For a party to say there won’t be vacancy leaves much to be desired,” he said.

However, Aliyu, who  chaired the occasion, said the Peoples Democratic Party did not imply by the statement that there would not be election.

Instead, he said, the opposition needed to work “real hard”.

Source: Punch Nigeria