By Victor Ogunje
The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has defended the controversial All Progressives Congress (APC) membership registration exercise, saying the process will clean up the register of the party and increase its membership base.
Some APC members had kicked against the exercise being proposed by Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee, describing it as unnecessary at this point.
Fayemi stated this yesterday in Abuja during the conferment of the Award of ‘Dependable Ally of the North’ to honour him by the state Publicity Secretaries in the 19 Northern states.
Addressing the party’s image makers, Fayemi thanked them for the honour done him.
He said: “This award is greatly appreciated because it is coming from you, ‘the eyes and mouth of the party’. I would have loved to stay longer so that we can interface and exchange ideas on how to move our great party forward, but I’ve to join other leaders of the party in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, right now where we would be receiving the state governor into our party. The reception in Ebonyi State is only a tip of the iceberg of those moving into our
party.
“The issues raised by the Chairman of this conference are germane, but I can assure you that nobody will be pushed aside by the impending membership drive. There has been a lot of misinformation on the desirability or otherwise of this new party registration exercise.
“The need to clean up the book is critical because so many movements have taken people like Dr. Bukola Saraki, Governor Godwin Obaseki, Governor Aminu Tambuwal among others out of the party. Some people also joined us. Some of the executives in some states are even in the PDP now.
“We can’t proceed to the next convention without a proper register of party members. The earlier this is done to allow room for reconciliation, the better for us.”
In his remark, the FCT Publicity Secretary and Chairman of the association, Usman Adaji, said the choice of Fayemi, who is also chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for the award was informed by his bridge- building efforts, which he said has helped in repositioning the party in the North.
“Governor Fayemi is a bridge builder, a cosmopolitan politician with a pan-Nigerian outlook. Our leaders have identified with him and have unflinching confidence in him and his capacities,” he said.
