APC membership registration, revalidation will improve party’s chances of winning in 2023, says Gov. Bello

Gov. Sani Bello of Niger State has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) national membership registration and revalidation exercise will improve the party’s chances of winning elections in the 2023 general election.

Bello, who is also the chairman of the APC national membership registration and revalidation committee, said this during the inauguration of chairmen and secretaries of the committee on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the essence of the exercise was to expand the party’s membership base ahead of the 2023 general election.

He recalled that the last membership registration exercise of the APC was done in 2014, adding that while some members had lost their lives, a few others had left the party.

Bello noted that many had also joined the party without formal registration, stressing that there was therefore the need to update its membership register.

“We believe that when we are done with the exercise, it will increase our membership base and our chances in the coming elections.

“We have very few members that have left the party and many have also joined us, we have young boys and girls that have turned 18 between 2014 and today.

“And we believe they should be given opportunity to register as members of our great party,” he said.

He expressed optimism that the exercise would afford everyone, including those who decamped from other political parties, the opportunity to be fully registered.

Bello assured that the party will ensure that no one is left behind during the exercise.

He, however, warned that hijacking of registration materials will not be tolerated by the party’s leadership.

“We should also know that domination of the registration process by an individual or group will not be accepted.

“I appeal to the chairmen and secretaries of this committee to stand their grounds and ensure that justice and fairness prevailed.

“I pray that Allah protect our party and our leaders, especially President Muhammadu Buhari, all our governors, National Assembly members, Council Chairmen, and all our party members so that we can flourish and excel,” he said.

Speaking to newsmen on the sideline of the event, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State said many people were eager to register as APC members.

He noted that many who joined the party recently are yet to be registered while a few that left the party still have their names on the register.

He expressed optimism that the party will have a successful membership registration and revalidation process.

Ganduje said Kano state is the largest democracy in Nigeria, adding that this will be proved through the registration exercise.

“We shall prove to all that we are indeed the largest democracy in the country,” he said.