By Correspondent in Minna
The Governor of Niger state, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello said that the ongoing revalidation and registration of new membership by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) was not designed to favour or work against anyone in particular.
Bello,who is the National Chairman,APC Revalidation and Membership Registration Committee, assured that the programme would be carried out as transparently as possible, called on those interested to ensure they join the process.
The governor,who spoke in Kotongora, his home town, after revalidating his membership in his ward, said, “in a democractic process, people should express their views but what I know is that, this process is not to favour or work against anyone”.
Governor Bello said the APC’s National Executive Council (NEC) approved the exercise, adding that the conduct,therefore,not be illegal as some people erroneously believed.
The ongoing revalidation and registration of new members programme has become expedient in view of the fact that, it was in 2014 that such exercise was carried out,hence the process has become expedient with movements in and out of the party by eligible voters.
He added, “Between 2014 and now,I cannot say that it is the same people that voted then that we have today. Some have left for other political parties while others joined us from other parties including youths that have turned 18 now and wants to join politics and we have to accommodate them”.
“It is a right step to take,it is the best thing to do to have new entrants while old members will have to indicate that they are still within the fold. We want to grow the party, people make the party people want to join our party we cannot close our doors against them”.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that the party should be rebuilt from the grassroots level upwards.“That is why he supported the membership revalidation and new members registration exercise”.
While assuring of his preparedness to step in wherever there is problems as a result of the registration/revalidation exercise, Governor Bello said his committee would be on hand to resolve such problems, including where there is shortage of materials.
In the meantime, the Special Adviser on Political Matters to theGovernor, Alhaji Nma Kolo, has called for the continuos revalidation and registration of party members by all registered political parties for authentication of existing political parties.
The governor’s aide,who noted that “politics and politicking is a continuous thing in Nigeria,” said political party registers should not be closed at anytime so that those who had attained mandatory 18 years voting age couls join a political party of their choice at will.
Kolo told journalists that many eligible voters who might have been sitting on the fence and could, in the course of time, change their minds and decide to join a political party of their choice underhindered.
Our correspondent reports that the exercise which was generally peaceful across Niger state was withnessed by an APC National officer, Mr. Osita Izunaso.