The Chairman, Women and Youth Mobilisation Committee for the All Progressives Congress Membership Registration/Revalidation Exercise, Governor Yahaya Bello, has enjoined Nigerians to take action against bad governance by joining the party.
He spoke at a meeting with state APC caretaker Committee Chairmen late on Friday as part of preparations for the party’s nationwide membership registration starting on Monday.
Bello said, “We can’t ask for positive change and good governance until we are part of the system that will produce the type of government that we so desire. Our constitution provides that whoever would want to occupy a position of authority in this country must belong to one political party or the other.
“As God we have it, APC is the best political party in Nigeria. I will continue to advocate to my brothers and sisters to please join the APC, participate actively in all of her activities and programmes, that is the only way you can have a voice, determine the type of government you so desire.”
He noted that the APC membership registration exercise was designed to update the party’s register and give opportunities for Nigerians who wish to be party members to do so.
According to him, prior to the setting up of the APC national caretaker committee, there had been a series of controversies over the existence or otherwise of an authentic register of party members.
This, he said, will become a thing of the past as soon as the registration exercise ends.
Bello who is also the governor of Kogi State challenged party leaders to prove their worth by ensuring that record numbers of persons from their spheres of influence join the party.
He said, “If you are a politician that price yourself high, you should belong to the grassroots. Politics is local. You should have followership at the grassroots. What we’re starting with now is the basis – let people come into APC. People make the party. The party doesn’t make people.
“You cannot claim to be strong or be in power or in authority today if your membership or base is not big and robust enough.
“So, as Chairmen of our party, you will only be proud of your Chairmanship if you are able to mobilize and have enough numbers from your States – that is your strength as a Chairman.
“As a leader, the number of people you are able to convince to join our political party either from a different political party or even those who do not have interest in politics before we were able to make them join APC, that’s your strength. Don’t bother about what happened thereafter.”
Bello described the APC as the only political party in Nigeria which has given women and youths their pride of place in the scheme of things.
Punch