*As David Mark says party will form govt next year
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
As the 2027 general election draws closer, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has said that it’s aspiration is to be the model of democratic sophistication in its operations, internal governance and in the ownership .
The National Secretary of the party and former Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola said this on Thursday during flagging off its membership registration in Abuja.
This is even as the National Chairman of the party, Senator David Mark assured that ADC will form the government in 2027, pointing out that the foundation for that was what was witnessed at the flag off of the membership registration on Thursday.
Aregbesola pointedly declared that the ADC is not merely seeking to participate in Nigeria’s democracy, adding “We seek to redefine it”.
According to him, “We aspire to be the model of democratic sophistication in our operations, in our internal governance, and in the ownership every member feels over this institution.
“Democratic sophistication means that our processes are transparent, that our decisions are arrived at through consultation, and that every member, regardless of their position, has a voice that is heard and respected.
“It means that our party constitution is not a document we reference when convenient, but the supreme law that governs all our affairs.
“It means we do not merely talk about democracy; we practise it. From how we select our candidates to how we manage our finances, from how we resolve disputes to how we engage with the electorate, every action must reflect the democratic standard we promise the nation”, he said.
Continuing, the ADC National Secretary said, “What we need, what we must build with urgency and discipline, is a membership register of integrity. Every name must belong to a real person. Every person must be documented, verified, and accounted for. This is not bureaucracy; this is the architecture of trust.
“Every one of us, from national leadership down to the ward level, must work together to ensure that only real people are registered and properly documented.
“This is a collective responsibility.
No leader should look the other way when registrations are padded.
“No officer should accept figures that cannot withstand scrutiny.
“We must be our own auditors before the public audits us.
“The integrity of our register is the integrity of our party. If we cannot be honest about who we are, we have no moral authority to demand honesty from those who govern”, he stated.
On his party, David Mark said, “I assure you that in 2027, ADC will form the government and this is the foundation for that we need.
“This is the foundation that we are laying today (Thursday). What we’re kicking off today is laying a solid foundation for our future results in the ADC. Once you get the cards and you start the exercise, register anybody who wants to be a member of ADC.
“I know what they do in other political parties. Somebody will buy the cards and keep them in his room.
“Our cards will not be kept in the rooms. Our cards will be given to our members”, he said.
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