ACN sets agenda for govs, govs-elect, bars members

LAGOS - FOR those who will be governors from May 29 under the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, it will not be business as usual as the party will next week unfold the direction they should toe in delivering dividends of democracy to their people.

At that time the party will be in charge in six states of Lagos, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti.
The party is expected to set agenda for the governors, May 19, at a retreat scheduled for Benin City, according to a usually reliable source.

A party source said: “The retreat will tell the governors what to do in the areas of education, health, water sanitation and so on.”

Another issue to be resolved will be the way the new governors from Oyo and Ogun should go as regards eleventh hour policies of their predecessors particularly those with huge financial implications like the N18, 000 new minimum wage and indiscriminate employment into the public service.

Regional Development Commission coming

An insider said ACN will set up a regional commission to accelerate development and economic integration in the South West and Edo State. The commission to be known as South West Regional Development Commission, SWERDCO, will develop economic policies for Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Osun and Ondo States. He said: “We need to develop and integrate for instance transport in the South West.”

SWERDCO is expected to perform functions similar to those of Oduduwa Investments Company Limited, a conglomerate that oversees the investments of the old Western Region inherited by all South West states except Lagos.

The steering committee that would drive the initiative would be set up soon after the inauguration of the governors. It would be composed of members of cabinets of each member state such as commissioners for agriculture, works and housing, finance and economic planning, among others.

Members barred

Meantime, the newly elected members of the National Assembly from the ACN have been barred from paying courtesy calls on President Goodluck Jonathan.

It was gathered that this was part of the instructions given to the newly elected party officials, especially the lawmakers at a meeting with the party leadership in Abuja.

The party told the elected legislators that whoever wants to have anything to do with the ruling PDP should cut off ties with the party.

An elected member of the House of Representatives from Ekiti State, who preferred anonymity confirmed the meeting and the instruction passed on to them, noting that the party made this open because of rumour making rounds that some of the party members were being lobbied by PDP to accept appointment to form a unity government.

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