The foundation of what could lead to the end for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has been laid with the decision of some members to form the New Justice Forum aimed at wrestling against what is believed to be the dictatorial powers of the leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
The mission of the group, according to Huhuonline.com finding, is to cripple the powers of former Governor of Lagos State and other top party officials who, the members of the group told our correspondents, have now assumed the positions of demi-gods imposing candidates on the party against the members’ wish.
There had been some grumblings in the party over this action of leaders of the party.
“Many of our party members who hold political positions do everything with fear. They must have to go about ‘settling’ party leaders to help them push their aspirations”, a source and member of the new party told Huhuonline.com correspondent on Thursday.
Some members said the establishment of the group is timely, as it will curtail the excesses of the party leaders.
In a statement released earlier in the day by the duo of Taiwo Ayedun and Olatunji Folami, two party chieftains in the state, to announce the birth of the group, the New Justice Forum declared: “Enough of the old hands and old ideas. We want new blood, new ideas and new ways of doing things.
“In this project, we intend to work with like minds who have similar goals. We will continue to tap into the wisdom of our elders and work with them when necessary. We have chosen to drive this new dispensation. We are still mobilising and in the next one month, we will hold our maiden membership forum”.
As preparations heated up for the elections in 2011, it could be recalled that a major accusation against the leadership of party concerned imposition of candidates. Then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), its primaries could only be described as a sham where candidates got slots based on who their intra-party connections.
Many of them are currently serving at the Lagos State House of Assembly as well as the Senate and the House of Representatives. In some cases where contenders refused to step down for each other and insist on free and fair primaries, the party leadership brought in a neutral person to take up the candidature for the political position.
“We have been pushed too far and we think that now, since the party is now a fusion of other parties, is the best time to stamp the clamour for internal democracy on the party. Nothing must stop us this time from holding free and fair primary elections ahead of 2015”, a party chieftain sympathetic to the group told Huhuonline.com
Folami has also declared that the philosophy underpinning the establishment of the New Justice Forum is the determination to bring back robust competition and fair play, level playing field and justice and reposition the party on path of equity and justice for all members.
“This would be attained through the harnessing of the abundant energies of all members, particularly youths and women who are most vulnerable. The New Justice Forum is committed to the ideals of credible, free and fair elections, hence our avowed commitment to a new political order”, he said.
“We, in the New Justice Forum are an offshoot of the old Justice Forum with a new orientation. We desire true change. We are thirsty for good governance. We are committed to ensuring justice and fairness in all political relations and activities in Lagos State and at the national level.
“Our agenda is to identify persons with progressive orientation and great potentials who are ready to serve and to lead democratically. They must be from our generation and we will work to put them forward for positions.
“Our agenda will centre on the youth, closely related to the issue of youth is that of gender imbalance in politics and in the development processes in general. The female members of our party constitute about half its population. Yet women issues have been largely consigned to the back burners of governance. For the NJF, the specific aspirations of women constitute a major ideological platform”, he said.
Huhuonline.com learnt that this new group, a breakaway from the old Justice Forum headed by Chief Olatunji Hamzat, father of Obafemi Hamzat, who is one of the aspirants tipped to succeed Governor Babatunde Fashola, was supported by the Liberty Forum, which is opposed to the idea that the elder Hamzat could install his son, a current Commissioner for Works in the state, as Fashola’s successor.
