Kunle Adelabu
Chieftains and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, that have revalidated their membership of the party, stated that the registration process is seamless and urged others to partake in the exercise.
The exercise, which is taking place nationally, commenced across the 330 electoral polling units in the one Local Government and five Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in lkorodu division, on Tuesday, February 9, 2021, without any hitch.
While the registration exercise started in many of the units very late and failed to hold in others on Tuesday, it was a different ball game the following day (Wednesday, February 10) as Registration officers arrived the units at 9.00am scheduled time for the commencement of the exercise.
As at 1.20pm on Tuesday when our reporter visited polling unit 009 near Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, the Registration officer told THE IMPACT that they are in need of another registration forms because they have exhausted the booklet given to them which is meant for 100 applicants.
Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, a Member of the Governance Advisory Council and the first Secretary to the State Government, THE IMPACT gathered registered in his Ward in Igbogbo.
Hon. SOB Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly and representative of the Ikorodu Constituency I, speaking with THE IMPACT after registering on Tuesday at Polling unit 042, CAC junction, Ikorodu Grammar School, Oke Ota – Ona, Ikorodu, charged old party members to not only revalidate their membership but also mobilise new members to register.
“Today, I performed APC membership registration and revalidation at my polling unit 042, CAC junction, Grammar school Ikorodu.
“I implore other members of our great party to come out in their numbers for this exercise.
“Make it a point of duty to not only come out but come out with friends and neighbors that do not belong to any political party at the moment. APC is a party to identify with”, Agunbiade charged.
His Ikorodu Constituency II counterpart, Hon. Nurudeen Solaja who revalidated his membership at Ajaguro Ward B1, Imota LCDA, at 2.00pm same day, in a press release after the exercise, said:
“As the registration and revalidation process of the APC commenced today (Tuesday) , Hon. Nurudeen Saka Solaja, Chairman, Public Account Committee, representing Ikorodu Constituency II at Lagos State House of Assembly, joined other progressives at his constituency, Imota, to revalidate his APC Membership today, being the start of the APC Nationwide Membership Registration.
“The party registration exercise took place at his Ajaguro Ward B1, Imota LCDA, at exactly 2.00pm with party stalwarts in the Constituency on ground to partake in the exercise.
“Hon. Solaja used the medium to call on all well-meaning Nigerians to join APC, citing some of the major projects this present administration had executed since inception”.
He also called on residents that believe in the ideology of the party and its programmes to come out and register their membership.
Former Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development and Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, speaking with THE IMPACT at 12. 47pm after he completed his revalidation exercise at the Polling unit 013, Suberu Ogunsanya Street, lkorodu, on Wednesday (yesterday), said that the process is seamless.
The former Editor, Business Day and lawyer, also charged other residents and members to embrace APC, describing it as an ideological- based party.
“The process is quite easy and nothing is strenuous about it. You come with your means of registration like the voters’ card and for somebody like me, I have an existing APC card and with this revalidation, it is getting old now I believe”, Prince Ogunleye said.
“It is very easy to revalidate or register.
“I enjoin other members to come out and revalidate their membership and new ones to register theirs, because joining a party means that you believe in its ideology, programmes and entire philosophy.
“APC is the only party in Nigeria that has such ideological orientation that people can identify with”.
Mr Yahya Ogunsowo, the Supervisor for Economic Planning, Research & Statistics, Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area, who revalidated his membership on Tuesday at Polling unit 005, Adeboruwa palace, while speaking with our reporter, said that the process only take about 3minutes.
Like other party chieftains, he equally charged others to troop out and register as APC members.
“The registration process is a very brief exercise. It doesn’t take long to complete the process”, Ogunsowo said”.
“It’s just for you to provide some details about yourself and submit two passport photographs out of which one is going to be attached to a copy of the slip that will be given to you and while the other will be on the document that will be in the record of the party.
“Within three minutes, you are done with the process.
“I want others to come out en masses and register because that is the only way to show that you actually belong to our political party, APC, and identify with us. Becoming a card – carrying member is what portrays you as a loyal member of our party”.
Hon Alade Banwo, a member of the Ikorodu Local Government Legislative Arm who registered at the Polling Unit 10, Itunpate in Ikorodu LG on Tuesday, described the exercise as a way of showing that APC is the dominant party in Nigeria.
“It’s a good development as it has shown the dominance of the ruling party, APC, and the relentless effort of our leaders in having more members to join our great party”, he said.
“The party has advanced for deeming it fit to bring the registration and revalidation exercise nearer to the people through the polling units nationwide. You can imagine what the turnout will be every day for a week or two.
“The process is smooth and party members are canvassing more people into the party”.
Hon. Omotayo Awolesi, the Majority Leader, Ikorodu LG, who also revalidated his membership at Boot 5, Itunla on Tuesday, said that the exercise is important to bring in new members into the party.
“Firstly, the revalidation is very important and necessary in our beloved party. If I am not mistaken, after the last time we did our party membership registration exercise, our party has gotten a lot of new members, even from the famous opposition parties.
“The new members should have a sense of belonging and also get the same right without any fear or favour”, Hon. Awolesi said.
“The process is free and fair and, on this note,, I advise our youths to get more involved. Let stop talking from outside. We should be party to the process”.
Mr Ahmed Aroyewun, a youth leader in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and Vice President/Director of Programmes, De – Vanguard, who revalidated his membership at 10, Meri Road, Itunsokun, Igbogbo on Wednesday (yesterday), said:
“The process has been seamless. I will encourage our people to come and register with the progressive APC, especially the youths”, he charged.
“We must have a say on how policies and programmes of government that will determine how we are governed, are being carried out and that will only be possible if we participate in party politics.
“The era of sit – down and complain has gone. We must all be involved objectively and constructively”.
Alhaji Hassan Bashiru Bakare, who registered at Unit 008, Ward C1 Ansar – Ud – Deen Primary School, Igbogbo also described the exercise as smooth.
“It was smooth process and people are really coming out to register.
“We are even seeing those that are in our party before coming out to register” he added.
Mrs Ojoye Adekunbi, one of the Registration Officer at Unit 008, Ward C1 Ansar – Ud – Deen Primary School, Igbogbo also speaking with THE IMPACT said that turn out has been encouraging.
She told our reporter that about 50 has been registered in the first two days of the commencement of the exercise.
Mrs Hannah Sedun and Mrs Shittu Shukur, Registration Officers, Unit 014 and 013 respectively in Ikorodu also said that the exrercise has been going fine with people coming out to register in orderly manner.
At Unit 009, near the Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA Secretariat where our reporter visited at 1.20pm on Wednesday, Comrade Ogunmjuyiwa Folashade, the Registration Officer said:
“It’s been okay. The process going on fine without any problem.
“We have registered 100 as at 10.00 am today (Wednesday) and finished a booklet and we are waiting for the Supervisor to provide us with another one because people are still coming out to register” she said.
