Published February 22, 2021
Chukwudi Akasike, Raphael Ede , Ogbonnaya Ikokwu , Tony Okafor and Chidiebube Okeoma
THE Caretaker/ Extra -Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress, has extended the ongoing nationwide membership registration /revalidation exercise until March 31 , 2021 .The first phase of the exercise was earlier scheduled to end on Tuesday , February 23 rd .This was contained in a statement titled , “ Extension of the nationwide membership registration , revalidation and register update exercise , ” signed by the party’s National Secretary , Sen . John Akpanudoedehe , in Abuja , on Sunday .It read in part , “ In response to the demands across the states for an extension to allow accommodation of all prospective members , the Party has therefore extended the nationwide membership registration exercise by a period of three ( 3 ) weeks. This extension will shift the end of the exercise to Wednesday 31 st March , 2021 .“ Additional disbursement of registration materials to meet up with the demands reported in most states has however commenced and will continue until the material needs of all the affected states are adequately met .”Igbo should join APC to clinch 2023 presidency – Ex – MAMSER bossThe Chairman of Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress Committee on the ongoing membership revalidation / registration , Senator Jonathan Zwingina , has urged the Igbo to join the APC so as to increase the chances of an Igbo son emerging as Nigerian President in 2023 .Zwingina , a former chairman of Mass Mobilisation for Social and Economic Recovery , said this when the APC senatorial candidate for Enugu East Senatorial district in the 2019 election , Adaku Ogbu , revalidated her membership at her Onunvu Umuiba polling unit, Nara ward ( 1 ) , in Nara Unateze , Nkanu East Council Area , on Saturday .The chairman who was represented at the event by a member of the committee Michael Ugwa , said, “ The game of politics is all about numbers. So, for the South -East to realise her dream , the people must join the APC in their numbers through the ongoing registration / revalidation exercise . ”He charged members of the APC in the area to see themselves as fishers of men who have been commissioned by the party to go out and fish for new members .Also, an Abia State chieftain of the party, Chief Ikechi Emenike , while making a case for Igbo presidency in 2023 , said , “ There ’ s the tendency for our people to complain that they are excluded from the scheme of things in the party, but if you are not member of the party how can you benefit from its sharing formula ?“ The best way to for the people of the zone to claim ownership of the party is to come out en masse and take advantage of the opportunity of this registration process and become part of the party .”Kwara APC youths split over exerciseIn Kwara State, the exercise has split the party ’s youths into two with one section hailing the exercise and another condemning it .A group known as APC Youth Stakeholders Kwara South Caucus dismissed the whole exercise as sham , while other youths under the aegis of Kwara South APC Youth Stakeholders , described the exercise as peaceful and orderly .Recall that the Minister of Information and Culture , Alhaji Lai Mohammed last week called for the cancellation of the exercise , alleging that it was fraught with irregularities .IPOB disrupted Anambra APC registration exercise , says chairmanThe Anambra State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Basil Ejidike, has raised the alarm over threats by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra to disrupt the party ’s ongoing registration / revalidation exercise in the state.He alleged that the secessionist group had at several times unleashed violence on some of its registration officials .Ejidike said this during an APC stakeholders ’ meeting in Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Sunday .The APC chieftain said, “ There were incidents of attack on our workers by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra who carted away materials meant for the registration exercise .“ We have requested the local government area supervisors to furnish us with details of such events . ”Ejidike maintained that the reason for such attacks was because the APC had become the beautiful bride with members from other major political parties registering and identifying with it .APC registration will stop rigging of primaries – GroupA pro-All Progressives Congress group , Lagos 4 Lagos , says the ongoing registration and revalidation exercise of the All Progressives Congress would help to curb rigging of primaries.The Initiator of the group , Abdulazeez Adediran , said this at the Lagos 4 Lagos Secretariat in IkejaAdediran exercise was aimed at increasing the number of members and keeping data of all members .Explaining that his group was working towards ending the imposition of candidates in the party, Adediran urged members to embrace the exercise .He added that a situation where only one man would decide who would govern the people was no longer acceptable in the party.Adediran expressed optimism that with transparent intra -party processes , only popular candidates would be allowed to govern their people , adding that the exercise would curb intra – party rigging .He also rubbished the claim by some opposition political parties that the nationwide registration and revalidation of members of the APC was a ploy to manipulate the 2023 election .Some opposition parties , including the Young Progressives Party , have insisted that the ongoing membership registration and revalidation of the APC might be a basis to get fictitious numbers that could be used to rig the 2023 general election .Adediran said, “ The registration and validation of APC members has nothing to do with rigging or any plan to rig election . The PDP should not worry about what is playing out in our party. We want to keep the data of members and we want to populate our party. ”
