Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja
The Action Democratic Party (ADP), a political association seeking registration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has promised to give all party members the power to decide who becomes a candidate when registered as a political party.
The association’s protem Chairman, Mr. Yagbaji Sani, said this while answering questions from journalists at the party’s secretariat.
He said they have put in place measures and rules in their constitution and manifesto to make sure that moneybags do not hijack the party.
Sani added that the ADP has a set of rules, which would ensure that the most popular candidate emerges victorious in the party primaries – as all card-carrying members of the party will elect the party candidate for all elections.
“We shall be guided in this historic national duty by our three fundamental principles as enshrined in our constitution and manifesto: All-inclusive government, democratic empowerment of young people and party supremacy,” he said.
He stated that in order to ensure greater participation of youth and women in the political process, the party will give 50 per cent of party offices to youths and women in the party structure, saying these positions would only be contested for by youths and women only as it is in the party’s constitution.
He noted that as a measure of the association’s commitment to this rule, it has picked a youth, Mr. Jimoh Akeem, as its acting publicity secretary.
He said this was a revolutionary move as no party in the annals of politicking in the country, had taken such a step.
The ADP chairman said when finally registered as a party, it would offer Nigerians the opportunity to do things differently from what obtains presently – where a few individuals arrogate to themselves, the right to sit somewhere and decide for the whole country.
He said the ADP will not only give Nigerians opportunity to freely elect their leaders and representatives but will also give Nigerians the opportunity to contribute to their future as citizens.
“We intend to do things differently by creating an enabling environment for Nigerians to freely elect their leaders and determine their future where impunity, nepotism and mediocrity will have no place,” he stated.
