Gov Buni raises APC membership size from 12million to over 40million – Secretary

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni, has raised membership size of the party from twelve million people to over forty million through the recent membership registration and revalidation exercise.

National Secretary of the party’s CECPC, John James Akpanudoedehe, disclosed this while addressing members of the non career ambassador who paid the caretaker Committee a courtesy visit at the party’s national Secretariat in Abuja.

Akpanudoedehe, while eulogizing the party caretaker chairman, who is also the governor of Yobe state, said “We are blessed to have a focused and gentle Chairman. When he came on board, we lost ground. Under his leadership we have regained what we lost and gained more.

“We had a membership strength of 12 million. I want to inform you, your Excellencies, under his leadership, the APC has moved to above 40 million today.”

He said since the creation of this party, they have never enjoyed peace and tranquility which they are enjoying today, adding that Governor Buni has brought in some kind of calmness.”

Speaking earlier, the chairman of the caretaker Committee, Mai Mala Buni, reminded the ambassadors that by their new calling, they now have a new role in building relationships and projecting the image of Nigeria in a very positive light.

He said that they are coming at a time when the country is faced with some challenges, especially the security challenge, expressing confidence in their individual and collective capabilities to continue to find solutions to the challenges facing the country and to strengthen the relationships between Nigeria and their host countries.

“As the ruling party, APC is deeply concerned and interested in healthy relationships between Nigeria and the international community because a healthy relationship will certainly contribute to the  APC administration actualising the party manifesto to improve the lives of Nigerians.

“The party will also look forward to a very positive working synergy with your excellencies in the interest of Nigeria and her citizens. On this note, I am happy to inform you that the party has agreed to set up a desk office for the purpose of liaising  with the non-career ambassadors. In this regard, we request you to furnish the National secretariat with the details of your coordinating secretariat”, Buni said.

Speaking on behalf of the Non career ambassadors, Ambassadors Ominyi Nwannebuike, who is Nigeria High Commissioner to the Republic of Gambia, said they are already poised to further contribute to the good governance which the party is providing through President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said “Despite the difficult times occasioned by global economic challenges, Mr. President is breaking new grounds in the provision of infrastructure that the country has lacked so much.

“As a progressive family, sir, we shall remain committed to the party and undoubted to its manifesto in spite of all challenges and shall continue to lend support to the party leadership so that our election shall be the easiest within the political history of Nigeria.”

While making his request to the chairman, he said the party should create a desk in its office to be dealing with non-career ambassadors at their various duty posts.

“We acknowledge and appreciate the effort the Committee is making towards the rebuilding the party and we further urge the Caretaker Committee to ensure that the dispute in the state chapters of our party are amicably resolved to the satisfaction of all parties concerned so that we can continue winning elections.

“We are strong members of APC families, commanding huge loyalty within our various localities and our followers ready to maintain and carry out the principles of APC, sustaining the unity that led to APC taking over of Nigeria leadership in 2015”, he said.