Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Thursday saluted the Independent National Electoral Commission for standing on the side of constitutionalism and the rule of law in registering the new All Progressives Congress (APC) just as he formally hoisted the flag of the new party in company of Deputy Governor, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, State Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Henry Ajomale and other leaders of the rested Action Congress of Nigeria.
Speaking before the symbolic flag hoisting event which took place at the Acme Road Secretariat of the former Action Congress of Nigeria with many elated members in attendance, Governor Fashola said the registration of the party is not just a merger but history because in all of Nigeria’s political history this has not happened before.
He said the role of all those who have had one thing or the other to do with the party as members, party leaders, message bearers, cleaners, typewriters in the party secretariat will never be forgotten because they have crossed a major political hurdle.
“Let us understand that this is my own perception that bad governance has continued in spite of the success that we have made as the former party A.C.N only because people have felt that we are not large enough to defeat the Goliath, but today with the A.P.C the Goliath now has a stone and will fall.
“You see there is a stone for every Goliath. This is the stone for our Goliath. We provide change, we provide a choice, the choice that articulates the possibilities of a better life and all of these will be addressed as our programmes and policies are unfolded in few days, weeks and months”, he said.
He expressed gratitude to the leaders of the A.C.N particularly Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, all the progressive Governors, leaders of the CPC, ANPP and APGA ,as well as the chairman of the merger committees and thanked them on behalf of all Nigerians who are desirous of alternative means of expression for their aspiration for a better life.
Later in an interview, the Governor said the APC provides a formidable choice in electoral decision making for the people of the country because often times there have been some apathy because of the abysmal performance of the government at the national level.
The Governor said the signs of the progressive governance that will come is indicative of what can be seen in the South -West and what can be seen in Edo, Borno, Yobe and what is being seen in Imo State.
“The days of impunity in government are clearly coming to an end. It is either you perform or you are out at the next elections. This is perhaps the most significant thing the registration of APC brings, apart from the historic milestone that it represents as the first ever successful merger in the history of Nigeria and a lot of credit must go to all the actors from the top to the bottom for seeing this through”, he ended.