….As Party aims at credible membership register
The ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC ), declared Wednesday that more shockers await its main rival , the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) , as more of it’s members will defection into the fold of APC in coming months .
Ahead of the alleged influx of PDP members into APC , the Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party , Governor Maimala Buni of Yobe State , said machinery is being set in motion for the party to have credible membership register .
Addressing the Senate caucus of the party at the National Assembly , Buni said : ” APC will soon shock Nigeria’s political space with massive and unprecedented defections “ever witnessed in the political history of our great country, and by the grace of God, the party will undoubtedly remain Nigeria’s leading political party”.
He explained that the party of recent, witnessed the defection of some political bigwigs and return of some party faithful to the ruling party with the resolution of most conflicts facing the party in some states.
His words: “Today, we are proud to say that the conflicts in most, if not all of the states have been settled.
” The party now proudly parade political heavy weights in their respective states who have either returned back to the party or freshly joined the party. We have the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, former PDP National Chairman, Senator Barnabas Gemade, several members of the national assembly, Chief Jimoh Ibrahim, former Head of service of the federation, Mr Danladi Kifasi, Senator Isa Hamma Misau, Alhaji Salisu Takai, among others.
” Our recent big catch of a very no less personality than the Executive Governor of Ebonyi state, His Excellency Mr Dave Umahi and several legislators of the state assembly are indeed great milestones in our restoration process”.
While expressing concern over the lack of credible membership register in all the 36 states and Abuja, Bunu declared that some members who left the party in 2018 and joined the opposition party, still have their names adorning the party register “while many others who joined the party from 2014 to date , do not have their names in the register.”
According to him, it therefore becomes imperative for the party to revalidate its membership register, expunge names of those who had left the party and include those who have joined the party from 2014 to date in compliance with Article 9:4 of the party Constitution.
“Similarly, the annual membership dues payment, which has almost been totally neglected overtime, is a clear violation of Article 9:1(I) of the Party Constitution.
“The committee therefore finds the membership revalidation exercise as necessary to capture all members to promote internal democracy in the party.
“I am glad to inform you that preliminary plans had been concluded for the commencement of the first phase of the exercise in the next few weeks with the expectation to cover members both within the country and those in diaspora”, he added .
The committee Chairman also hinted of plan by the party to amend its constitution which he said will be ready for presentation to NEC for approval before the expiration of the committee’s tenure which accordimg to him, is quite necessary for the growth and development of the party.
He said: “The committee has set up a high powered committee made up of eminent party leaders, legal practitioners and experts to study the reviewed Constitution and to make recommendations to the effect of the necessary amendments.
“The National Secretary (CECPC) was mandated to provide all necessary information for wide consultations that will lead to an all-inclusive party constitutional review.
“The committee wish to humbly submit that, the party should as a matter of priority do the needful by resolving all contentious and constitutional matters to approach the national convention with a new beginning and, on a very clean slate”.
