The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has said the All Progressives Congress membership Registration/ Revalidation exercise won’t end by getting the database of the members alone, but that the party would work hard to register itself in the minds of Nigerians.
Fayemi said the party at the national level has placed a big task on the shoulders of the political office holders to ensure that they warm themselves into the hearts of Nigerians through superlative performances at all levels.
Fayemi said these in his Isan Ekiti country home on Tuesday while commencing the Registration/ Revalidation exercise at the Ogilolo ward 11 unit 09.
Fayemi registered alongside his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi. at an event attended by the party leaders, led by the APC State Chairman, Hon. Paul Omotoso, Commissioners, Special Advisers, House of Assembly members, amongst others.
The governor clarified that the divergent views espoused by the former Osun State Governor and ex-Caretaker Chairman of the Party, Chief Bisi Akande and the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not portray the exercise as unconstitutional and illegal
Fayemi stated that what the two eminent APC members said was to the effect that the exercise should be done in such a way that would bolster its credibility in the eyes of Nigerians.
“I commend the national committee sent to Ekiti for doing a yeoman’s job. I have sent them morale-boosting messages. Now, I have registered and everything went well. I have no doubt that the exercise will be a huge success.
“The revalidation and registration exercise is an opportunity for us to get a reliable database about our members and beyond that, we have tried to register APC in the minds of the people.
“We are familiar with this terrain and everywhere you go, you can see evidence of good governance all over Ekiti. You will see the construction of roads everywhere because we know that the best way to register APC in the minds of the people is by affecting their lives positively.
“APC is a party that has the competence, commitment and compassion for progressive ideals. Our people in Ekiti knew what it used to be in the past years. The former state secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, Dr Tope Aluko recently joined our party in Iyin Ekiti and that has been happening all over the state.
“People are coming into APC in droves. This is the party to beat in any future elections because it has affected our people positively”.
Fayemi appealed to those who wanted to dump the party to have a rethink, saying the APC remains the only progressive party where they can realise their ambitions.
“There is nobody that is committed to progressive politics that has left our party in Ekiti to the best of my knowledge and if there are such people, they should come back. Our party is open.
“APC is a party for the young and old. The young are benefiting from our free education policy while the old are benefiting from our Owo Arugbo and other landmark policies of our administration. APC is the only party that has plans for both old and young”.
“The APC Constitution in Article 9 stipulated that our register must be updated every six months. So, Baba Akande never said we should not register or revalidate our membership. He only tasked the leadership on the way it should be done to earn credibility.
“We don’t want to deregister anybody, let every member revalidate their membership and those who are non -members but interested should also feel free to join us, that is what the exercise is all about”.