By Ummi Ismaeel, Minna
The Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has 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.
Governor Bello, who is the national chairman of the APC Revalidation and Membership Registration Committee, also assured that the programme would be carried out as transparently as possible.
He appealed to those interested to ensure they join the process.
Bello spoke in his country home, Kontagora, after revalidating his membership in his ward, adding however that “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”.
On the geuineness or otherwise of the exercise, Governor Bello said that the APC’s National Executive Council (NEC) approved the exercise, adding that the conduct ‘‘can therefore not be illegal as some people are still doubts.’’
The ongoing revalidation and registration of new members has become expedient because 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.
Bello said, “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”.
