Lagos — The speculation two weeks ago that the leaders of the Action Congress in Lagos State had anointed Mr Demola Doherty for the next Local Government polls is already causing ripples among members of the party in the Ifako Ijaye Local Government area of the State.

Last weekend, AC members assembled at Orimolade, on the popular college road to review the matter. The meeting was also used to assure one of the contestants, Mr Oloruntoba Oke, of their support.

While welcoming the party faithfuls to the meeting, the Vice Chairman of the party in the local government, Alhaji Salihu Elefode, told the mammoth crowd that the aim of the meeting was to put some stories straight and disabuse the minds of members who had been wrongly informed that the leadership of the party in the state had anointed one Doherty as the AC flag bearer in the next election.

He also told members that the meeting was important because of the need to inform members who had the love of any of the contestants in mind to intensify their efforts in preparation for the primaries of the party, which would come up on September 6.

The party leader who asked members to discard the rumour making the round that the party had gotten a candidate in their council, said the campaign was a delibrate ploy of some faceless politicians who were out to tarnish the image of the leaders, especially that of the Governor, Babatunde Fashola and his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

According to him, "at a time like this, it is natural in politics to hear all sort of things. Those behind this are the alien in the party who knew that they can't garner enough support to win at the primary. They are only testing their feet in the sea may be it would sweep them or spare them. It's a calculative attempt to blackmail our leaders into accepting the dummy they are displaying, but as democrats, neither Governor Fasola nor Asiwaju Tinubu could allow anything that is undemocratic in nature. The question you must ask whoever that comes your way concerning this is that why is the so called anointed candidate still moving around to solicit support. If truly he had been anointed, then what he needs is to go and sleep." Also speaking at the occasion, an AC woman leader in the area, Mrs Bosede Bimbola Davies called on the leaders of the party to yield to the call of members and allow the party's primaries slated for September 6 to hold. She also called on members to continue giving their support to Oke, who he described 'as a committed member who has sincerely served the party" While showing his appreciation for the members for their unbridled support, the candidate in whose honour they gathered, Mr Oloruntoba Oke told the crowd that at no party did any leader anoint anybody for the council poll. He told them that the rumour was being spread by a clique within the party and that the governor had assured him in a telephone conversation that he would not support any step that is undemocratic. The contestant who described Governor Fasola and Asiwaju Tinubu as reliable democrats said whoever thought that any of the leaders had anointed him was only day dreaming. His words: "Like everybody, I received the news of imposition with mix-feelings and I instantly contacted our reliable leader and governor of the centre of excellence, Mr Babatunde Raji Fasola for clarification. In his humbled way the governor did not only debunk the rumour but confirmed the fact that primaries would be conducted in areas where members could not agree on concensus candidate. " On the insinuation in some quarters that Oke was planning to dump the party for another party, he said it was a campaign that was meant to destabilise his political structure in the local government. "I was in AD from where I moved to ACD and now AC, which as we all know are parties from the same root. I have never considered the possibility of moving to another party and I will never consider it. I believe in AC leaders and its programmes. It rhyme in no small measure with my own programme and that is why I have always stayed glue to the party" On whether he would quit the party if he fails at the primaries, Oke said he would stay in the party and work for whoever that emerge adding that; "we would have satisfied our conscience to make sure candidate emerge through the best democratic means."