Nigeria Content Online

Two weeks after he
lost his bid to contest the presidency on the platform of the
opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), billionaire businessman,
Harry Akande, resigned from the party in a letter dated January 28,
2011 to the ANPP national chairman, Ogbonnaya Onu.

The letter reads:
“This is to officially notify you of my resignation as a member of All
Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) with effect from Friday, January 28, 2011.
This decision was borne out of my desire to advance my commitment and
resolution of making Nigeria a better country for the common man.
Therefore, accept my exit from the party in high esteem while wishing
ANPP the best of luck in its future political ambitions in our dear
country.

“Once again, extend
my sincere appreciation to all members for their cooperation for the 12
years of being a loyal member, as well as serving as the pioneer
chairman of the board of trustees of the party.”

Copies of the
letter were sent to the national secretary of the party, the deputy
chairmen in the south and north as well as the board of trustees
chairman.

Next move

Although Mr. Akande
did not state which party he was moving to, our investigations revealed
that he might be on his way to the Congress for Progressive Change
(CPC). He allegedly held discussions with the presidential candidate of
the CPC, Muhammadu Buhari, sometime last year on his (Akande) political
future. Mr. Akande, an indigene of Ibadan in Oyo State, was a
foundation member of the ANPP. However, his plans to contest the
presidency under the banner of the party did not materialize on two
occasions. On January 16, he lost the party’s presidential primary
election to the Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau. Mr. Akande
secured 708 out of the 5,315 votes cast during the party’s national
convention. Last September, Mr. Akande’s ambition to become the
national chairman of the ANPP also crashed at the party’s national
convention in Abuja. He lost to Mr. Onu by 1,479 votes to 3,945.