Lagos APC to recruit 8,000 officers for membership registration

The caretaker chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon Tunde Balogun, has said the State will require over 8000 registration officers for the membership revalidation exercise scheduled to starts February 9.

Balogun gave the insight at a meeting with the party stakeholders on the revalidation/registration exercise held at the party secretariat at Ikeja, Lagos.

Addressing the gathering of party chieftains, members of the National and State Assembly and membership registration committee from Abuja, Balogun assured that the registration exercise will be all-inclusive, fair and credible as no members of the party will be left behind in the exercise

He added that “We are opening our doors to other political parties. There are some members of the PDP that have shown willingness to join APC.

“For the conduct of the exercise, we will be making use of over 240 Wards for the revalidation exercise. We require over 8000 registration officers who are legible and literate for the exercise.

“The revalidation exercise will start on February 9 and it will run for two weeks. The process has started already. The symbolic registration of the President was done last Saturday in Katsina State and there will be another symbolic registration for Pa Bisi Akande in Osun State.

“The registration team are here with us from Abuja to ensure a seamless exercise. They have come as a sign of commitment to the party.

ALSO READ: Buhari, Moroccan King agree on Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline, fertiliser plant

“Meanwhile, the registration exercise has thrown up some controversies as some of our members are apprehensive. I want to assure them that the process will be fair, credible and all-inclusive and no member will be left behind in the exercise.

“I am therefore imploring all members to mobilise every other member at the grass root for the exercise to be registered. No willing members will be denied the opportunity to be registered but if such a situation arises, please endeavour to let me know. We are in a democracy and no member should be side-line as the registration of members is a routine exercise.”

Speaking on the importance of the exercise, Chairman, All Progressives Congress, APC membership registration committee, Dr Muhammed Bashir, said the success or otherwise of the exercise will underscore the importance of the party.

He said “Let me appreciate the gesture of the leadership of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the governor of the State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for the gesture shown towards ensuring excellent conduct of the registration exercise.

“Talk of politics Lagos is number one. It is a centre of excellence and I am hoping that excellence will be seen displayed by all parties involved in the conduct of the registration exercise.

“But I want to state that no party can claim to be leading without having the required membership. How do we have required members? It is by adequately registering both old and new members without encountering any challenge. This will underscore the importance of the great party.

“Without the cooperation of everyone, the registration committee cannot be successful in this very important task. I am therefore appealing for a symbiotic relationship.

“We have no reason to fail in Lagos State and this is because Lagos played a pivotal role in the merger that gave birth to the APC. The centre of excellence was among the forerunners of the idea of the merger that gave birth to the All Progressives Congress, APC from the beginning. Since then Lagos State has ensured that the party remains relevant. So
I am looking forward to this excellence to play out in the revalidation and registration exercise.”

Meanwhile, former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji has disclosed that the re-registration and revalidation exercise of members of the All Progressives Congress, APC will re-invigorate, boost the energy of both new and old members and give them a sense of belonging.

Speaking on the importance of the exercise, Ikuforiji said the exercise will shoot the All Progressives Congress to a higher rank.

He stated that it will resolve all internal wrangling and friction among members, pacify the aggrieved and erase the notion of godfatherism.

He added, “The revalidation of the register and registration of new members will definitely reinvigorate the members and bring in new members to the fold of the Lagos APC. It will give members a sense of belonging. The feeling that I cannot leave my party where I call the shot to be a “junior” member in APC has been erased.

“Apart from boosting the energy and enthusiasm of members, the exercise will give every sense of belonging. It will make them feel they are all equal and the issue of seniority and godfatherism will be laid to rest.

“You will observe that when you have large followership who are your admirers but they are by the fence or they couldn’t make up their minds to come in as new members because they are big members where they are, this exercise will avail them the opportunity to join the progressive team. As we are re-registering, everybody will be coming in into the party as new members.

“This will encourage a lot of people especially those that are in the opposition who ordinarily would have loved to join. When we are all coming in afresh, whatever you come in with, faction or no faction, politics is dynamic. There will always be all sorts of alignment and realignment. This person will move from this side to another and so on. Other people will come together to form a group. They are all coming in fresh. That on its own means a lot. The energy that will come with the fresh registration exercise will definitely propel the party to a higher rank.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Lagos APC to recruit 8,000 officers for membership registration, Lagos APC to recruit 8,000 officers for membership registration