By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
All Progressives Congress (APC) will Monday commence nationwide membership registration/revalidation exercise, even as chairman of APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Mai Mala Buni, promised severe consequences against those plotting to sabotage the exercise.
Inaugurating the membership registration/revalidation committee yesterday at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, Buni threatened that the party will deal ruthlessly with anybody or group of persons who attempt to hijack the exercise.
Governor Buni said “Let me make it abundantly clear that the party would not condone any act of sabotage of denying anyone or group of persons from registering. The party would deal decisively with anyone or group who attempts hijacking the exercise. Everyone must be allowed and given the chance to register.”
He assured that the party has adequate back up materials to ensure a successful exercise, saying that no one will be disenfranchised.
He said “I urge the committee to work as a team for every member to contribute his quota to the success of this important assignment. I wish you great success.
“I am confident that at the end of the exercise, every member of the party would have the privilege of getting registered as an APC member, and to have a sense of belonging as a member of the party.
“I am very sure that our figures in the register would surge into quadruples or even more, to further prove that APC is indeed Nigeria’s largest and leading political party.
“Already, the Registration/Revalidation enlightenment and mobilization committee under the leadership of His Excellency the Kogi state Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has commenced mobilizing our members to participate and ensure they are registered in the forthcoming exercise.”
While, emphasising the necessity of the committee, Governor Buni recalled that APC has not had the opportunity of renewing its membership register since the initial registration exercise of 2014.
He said the party had in the last seven years received millions of politicians who left other political parties and joined the APC but were not registered.
According to him, millions of youth who attained the age of 18 years and above have joined the party within the period and could not be registered, just as others who had left the party still have their names in the register.
To this end, he said the registration and revalidation exercise provides the opportunity for both new and old members to register and update their membership in the party, and for the party to expunge names of those who had left so as to have a clean and up to date membership register.
“Therefore, this committee holds the key to ensuring a successful membership registration and revalidation exercise across the country. I wish to reiterate that so much is expected from this very important committee.
“Your Excellency as chairman and members of the committee, you were carefully selected based on your personal capacity and the confidence the party has in you to make this exercise a huge success.
“The Secretariat is always there for you to support and address any possible problem that may arise in the course of your assignment”, he said.
Responding on behalf of members of the committee, the chairman, who is also the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, said the committee has noted the concerns of the party leadership, assuring that the APC membership registration/revalidation exercise would be implemented with every decency it deserves, by ensuring that every interested person or group is given opportunity to join the winning party.
Governor Bello said “Our business is to grow our party, not to limit people. People make party, party does not make people. The more the merrier, we shouldn’t get intimidated by the quality and calibre of the people joining our party because we feel that they will deprive us of some certain positions that is left in the hands of God, but what is important is the success of the party at all elections and once we achieve that, there will always be a room for someone.
“We will take this assignment seriously, we will swing into action. I thank you very much for giving me three serious party people in this committee. Your excellency I am very glad for making my work simple, I will just go and sleep and I am sure that the job will be done perfectly. Once again, on behalf of the members of this committee, we will try to work day and night to ensure that we have a successful registration. We will try and work, devoid of any bias, and we will give any person opportunity to join our party.”
