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By Donu Kogbara LAST week, I angrily accused the Action Congress of Nigeria , ACN, of treachery, inconsistency, religious insensitivity and political parochialism. This tirade was largely motivated by the fact that various Rivers people, including my cousin Kenneth Kobani (the ACN’s former National Treasurer), have told me that they joined the ACN in good faith before the 2011 election but eventually resigned because they felt disrespected. [caption id="attachment_380079" align="alignnone" width="412"] From left: Aremo Osoba, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) Chief Akande, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Malla Nuhu Ribadu, Senator Lawal Shuaibu and others ACN, members at the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Convention held at Onikan Stadium, Lagos Island. on 18/04/2013. Photo: Bunmi Azeez[/caption] Most of the Vanguard readers who reacted to my comments shared my view that the ACN can be amorally pragmatic and has not invested much energy in winning support out...

By Donu Koghara The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has always tried to position itself as a highly credible opposition party that is capable of appealing to voters in every geopolitical zone and can take on the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. I once had enormous respect for the ACN but have gradually concluded that it lacks the integrity to challenge the rotten-to-the-core PDP. Why have I lost faith in ACN? Because it has consistently betrayed its supporters in Rivers State. This betrayal started when ACN stalwarts like Bola Tinubu went out of their way to to form cosy relationships with the (PDP) Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, thereby totally ignoring the feelings of Rivers natives such as Dr Abiye Sekibo (an ex-Minister of Transport), who had joined ACN because they were at loggerheads with Amaechi or simply wanted an alternative to the PDP. The ACN then spectacularly failed to provide its Rivers candidates with adequate financial or moral support during the run-up...

By Donu Kogbara I KEEP asking myself how a once-civilized city like Port Harcourt gradually morphed into the kind of place in which legislators-who are supposed to uphold the law and be shining role models and pillars of polite society - physically attack each other so savagely that some of them wind up being hospitalised. The internet is awash with horrifying video clips that show computers being smashed, punches being thrown, the mace being used as a weapon and a forlorn wall in the State House of Assembly chamber that is spattered with blood. Tears came to my eyes as I watched these disgraceful visuals on my laptop screen. It was a real horror movie. It’s a miracle that nobody got killed. [caption id="attachment_403063" align="alignnone" width="412"] House of trouble—Top left: Hon. Evans Bapakaye in a scuffle with Mobile Police officers during the fight at the Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday in Port Harcourt. Photos: Nwankpa Chijioke[/caption...