It appealed to the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to ensure that it conducts fair, free and transparent elections, insisting that its candidates will win some seats if the elections are conducted free and fair.
The African Action Congress (AAC) has called on the people of Oyo State to ensure full participation in the forthcoming local government elections by voting for the only "pro-masses party," the AAC.
It appealed to the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to ensure that it conducts fair, free and transparent elections, insisting that its candidates will win some seats if the elections are conducted free and fair.
In the text of a press conference made available to SaharaReporters on Sunday, the state chapter of the party emphasised the need for the people to participate actively in the elections, adding that the council elections are the most important as those to be elected as councillors and chairmen are meant to directly serve the masses.
Addressing reporters, the state chairman of the party, Kayode Babayomi, explained that the local government is meant to be the closest government to the people. He, however, regretted that anti-people political parties holding Nigerians to ransom since 1999 have been killing local government administrations by imposing their lackeys and other elements that are not known to the grassroots.
"They do this for two reasons," Babayomi said, adding: "One is to keep primitively looted wealth by making sure allocations to the Local Government Administrations are held at the state level and pittances sent down to their lackeys in charge.
“Also, they hold down the LG administrations to make sure there is no development from below.
"It is on the note above that we as the African Action Congress (AAC), arguably the only pro-masses party in the country are presenting candidates for the LG elections at the Ward levels. From Eleyele to Alakiya, we have elected radical Comrades who have been so close to the grassroots and are trustworthy administrators with the finest of Socialist and pro-people ideas to contest as Councillors.
"Our candidates are not the Baba Sope kinds you have everywhere today that cannot even differentiate their Lefts from Rights. Our candidates are super brilliant, selfless, and highly experienced in working with the masses. As you know of our party, we were the only ones at the last elections who stated that we were different from all others who signed to impose Subsidy Removals on Oil, Naira, Education, Healthcare, Security, and even on Food. Today, if Nigerians had listened to Omoyele Sowore and the AAC, we would not be suffering this badly.”
He continued, “We have a situation today - Nigerians are suffering in the hands of the billionaire parties like APC, PDP and LP. But our people were boldly deceiving themselves that activists don't make good leaders.
“Now that they have voted for these inactive rulers who don't know more than looting and buying SUVs and yachts, we are all crying foul. This is another hard lesson for all Nigerians. Imagine that we voted Gani Fawehinmi of the NCP as president in 2003; we will never be in this collapse and penury today!
"We want to state that all our candidates are very popular in their wards, and we will win elections if the Seyi Makinde-led regime would allow it to be free and fair. It is on this note that we call on the OYSIEC to be transparent, fair, and free. We know that some hanky panky is at play, but we will resist all forms of rigging throughout the whole state. We insist that both BVAS and IREV must work efficiently, or else!
"We also call on police, military, and paramilitary not to be allowed to be used to disrupt elections. We have seen in the past how security agents are used to rig elections. This must not happen this time around!
"Finally, we call on Oyo state electorates to rise and come out to vote for the only party of the oppressed; the African Action Congress (AAC.) Our party is two bare hands showing that it is by our own deeds and work that we can build a new Oyo, Nigeria, and Africa. Rise up, Oyo! It is time to vote for the party that will put the people and humanity first!"