African Action Congress, (AAC) has declared another round of #OccupyINEC campaign. This is coming after INEC has turned deaf ears to the series of agitations of the party, following its attempt to hijack the party, and the commission’s interference in the party’s activities.

Recall that suspended Mr. Leonard Ezenwa , for a while, has been in bed with INEC officials with the aim of meddling with the affairs of the party.
In a Statement released by Mr. Femi Adeyeye, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, the party also states its stand on the deregistration of political parties and President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to sign the Electoral Act.

Read below:

PRESS STATEMENT

THE AFRICAN ACTION CONGRESS (AAC) DECLARES YET ANOTHER ROUND OF #OccupyINEC CAMPAIGN.

FOR EXPANSION OF THE ELECTORAL SPACE.

AGAINST DEREGISTRATION AND UNWHOLESOME MEDDLESOMENESS IN INTERNAL PARTY AFFAIRS BY INEC.

DECLARES TOTAL SUPPORT FOR ELECTORAL ACT AMENDMENT BILL PROTESTS HOLDING IN ABUJA and LAGOS ON FEBRUARY 22, 2022

The African Action Congress (AAC) seizes this medium to announce its total support for the various citizen actions, put together by sections of civil society and political groups; activities geared towards expanding the electoral space, in which the party itself will be playing a crucial leadership role.

It is a fact that the electoral space has suffered a number of attacks since the Buhari regime came to being. From the deregistration of 74 political parties, some of whom would be at the Supreme Court on February 22, 2022, to the unjust, illegal, and immoral meddlesomeness in the internal democracy of political parties, as seen in the case of the AAC, the regime has shown total disregard to the rights of Nigerians to freely participate in the process that would determine who and what system leads them into the future they desire.

It is not difficult to understand that the extreme apathy recorded at both the Lagos local government elections and FCT area council elections are not unconnected to the unjust shrinking of choices of the people. It worries us that only one vote was counted in a particular polling unit in a highbrow area of the FCT such as Maitama. Even Nigerians living in the rural areas who have been dubbed “faithful voters” didn’t come out to exercise their franchise. It is worrisome that the people of Nigeria have lost trust in the system. We are deeply concerned as a political party.

However, it is unscientific to think people would participate in a process where their will and aspirations are not represented.
This is why we continue to protest vehemently the deregistration of political parties on the grounds stated by INEC. Same as the undue interference of INEC in our party.

We wish to also state that the legal actions taken to flush the state-sponsored usurpers from our party has entered full throttle, and we shall again be at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on the same 22nd February, 2022. We are hopeful that justice, in the interest of democracy would be served on the matter.

As it concerns the signing or otherwise of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021, we as a party are not under any illusion that the “Oh Yes” men and women of the loan-approving and budget-padding centre called National Assembly would do what is right, however little, for the people. We have always maintained that the APC and PDP are incapable of doing what is right. If that’s not the case, overriding the veto of the sleepy President who has withheld assent to the bill seven (7) different times, should not take a galactic year to happen.

It is so unfortunate that the Buhari regime would have to be forced to do a token, even at the twilight of its inglorious exit. What exactly is the regime afraid of?

This is why we are calling on Nigerians to mount serious pressure beyond the pressure to sign the electoral act amendment bill 2021. We must all bond at this time to make sure our electoral space is expanded, the Independent Electoral Commission as the umpire is devoid of officials with bias and partisanship, and that the amendment bill is signed into law, so that Nigerians can make electoral choices freely, fairly and faith in the system may then be incrementally built.

We call on Nigerians to troop out in their numbers at all protest venues on Tuesday, 22nd February 2022 and demand a free, fair and credible electoral system, moving forward.

Solidarity.

Signed:
Femi Adeyeye
National Publicity Secretary,
African Action Congress
21/02/2022.