Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and the Ogun state Governor, Dapo Abiodun Tuesday, officially revalidated their membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State.
The membership registration and revalidation exercise of the ruling APC in Ogun State was flagged off by the Vice President at his country home in Ward 1, Unit 3, Egunrege in Ikenne, Ikenne Local Government.
Governor Abiodun was also registered at Ward 3, polling unit 1, Iperu-Remo also in Ikenne local government, while Chief Osoba revalidated his membership at Sodubi Primary School, Ward 7, polling booth 3 in Obafemi/Owode local government.
Osinbajo, accompanied by the Niger State governor and the National Chairman of the APC Registration and Revalidation Committee, Abubakar Sanni Bello, was received at the Mayflower Secondary School, Ikenne by the Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun, the National Leader of the party, Olusegun Osoba, the Southwest Team Leader of the Committee, Senator Lawan Shuaib and other top members of the party.
The VP headed straight to Ward 1, Unit 3, Egunrege Poling Unit, Ikenne, where his membership was revalidated by the ward chairman, Segun Awomuti.
Speaking at the event, the VP said he was happy to be at his ward to revalidate his membership of the APC.
He noted the party registration and revalidation exercise is important in order for the party to identify and reach out to members, adding APC is a grassroots party with focus on the welfare of the people.
Osinbajo said the party is presently at the helm of affairs in the country at the most challenging time in the world, arguing that “despite security challenge that has stretched the security agencies to the limit and COVID- 19 pandemic, APC remains the best party to solve Nigeria’s problems”.
While admitting that Nigeria has been battling with issues of justice, fairness and equity, the vice president urged Nigerians to resist attempts by some disgruntled elements to truncate the unity and destabilise the country.
“Party Registration and Revalidation is important because it offers us an opportunity to have a credible roll of members such that we are able to reach our members from the polling booth level all the way to the wards, local government, and federal constituencies.
“The people are the party and the party is the people. Ours is a grassroots party. A party of the people. Our focus is on the welfare, prosperity and wellbeing of all our people.
“Party members must understand their importance in the scheme of things. They must fully understand party’s philosophy and programmes, they must be actively mobilized to participate in, propagate and support government programs.
“But we are in government at one of the most challenging times in history. The pandemic has made matters worse, and we have also had security challenges that have stretched our law enforcement capacities all over the country.
“Yet we remain the best party to solve these problems. Because of our grassroots orientation, we have and continue to put in place the best programmes for the welfare of our people”, Osinbajo stated.
He, however, called on Nigerians to collaborate with President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in its efforts to surmount various challenges confronting Nigeria.
In his remark, Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, commended Osinbajo and President Buhari for going back to their respective wards to revalidate their membership of the ruling party.
He said the registration and revalidation exercise will be successful in Ogun, adding that new members would be mobilised for the party during the exercise.
“Ours is a grassroots party and nobody will be discriminated against. APC is not a social club and circumstances of birth, social status or class don’t matter”, he said.
The Southwest Team Leader of Registration and Revalidation Committee, Senator Lawan Shuaib said the exercise was to establish that ward is the power base of APC.
He pointed out that anyone who desires to join the party do so at the ward level, declaring that ward executive has power to discipline erring party members.
“APC will adopt certain reforms through the exercise. If they suspend you at the ward level, you stand suspended. This is to give the party back to the people”, Senator Shuaib stated.
On his part, National Chairman of the APC Registration and Revalidation Committee and Niger State governor, Abubakar Sanni Bello, said since 2014 when the party held similar exercise, the party had lost some members and gained more members, hence, the imperative of the 2021 exercise.
Former governor of Ogun state and the National Leader of the APC, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, noted that revalidation of Osinbajo’s membership of APC at his ward in Ikenne is historic as the town is the home of progenitor of progressive politics, late Obafemi Awolowo.
