APC lacks authentic membership register -Buni

Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, said yesterday that the party lacks authentic register in all the 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

This was even as he declared that the party would “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, APC will undoubtedly remain Nigeria’s leading political party.”

Buni, who is the Yobe State governor, spoke during a meeting with the APC Senate caucus in Abuja, saying since the initial membership registration exercise of 2013, the party today lacks authentic register in the country and therefore reiterated the commitment of the party to revalidate its membership register soon.

He said: “It is a common knowledge that some members who left the party in 2018 and joined the opposition party, still have their names adorning the party register. Similarly, many others who joined the party from 2014 to date do not have their names in the register.

“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.”

According to him, “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.”

Buni, who declared that he party now parade political heavy weights in their respective states who have either returned back to the party or freshly joined the party, informed that “many others have indicated interests to either return or join the party.”

On tenure elongation, the chairman charged the lawmakers that as committed members, “we should be thinking and working for the party beyond one, two, three or even four terms of office.”

“As it is obtained in advanced democracies and with older political parties, we must ensure the victory of the party at all times to successfully and effectively implement the party manifesto and programmes to the benefit of Nigerians,” he added.

Besides the membership revalidation exercise, the chairman also stressed the need for amendment of the party’s Constitution.

The meeting was attended by the CECPC secretary, Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi and other principal officers as well as many members of the caucus, including Senator Elisha Abbo representing Adamawa North.