The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC says the decision to extend the ongoing membership registration and revalidation exercise is to give every Nigerian who wants to identify with the party opportunity to do so.
Recall that the registration and update of its membership register began on Tuesday 9th February, 2021 across the 36 states of the federation and was scheduled to last for two weeks.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the National Secretary of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC of the party, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe, noted that the feedback across the states had been overwhelming and beyond projected success level; with a massive turnout of intending registrants beyond the expectation of the party.
He said: ‘’The development is responsible for the shortage of registration materials recorded in many states across the country and thereby warranting an extension of the exercise to give every interested Nigerian the opportunity to officially identify with the ruling party, the APC.
“On behalf of the National Chairman Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) His Excellency, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, I wish to use this opportunity to appreciate the good works of His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State led Youth, Women Mobilisation and Persons with Disabilities’ Sensitisation Committee, The National Registration, Revalidation Committee led by Governor Sani Bello of Niger State, the states steering committees for the exercise and all party officials who have been both directly and indirectly involved in the exercise from the outset.”
“We have received a nationwide acknowledgement of the increasing popularity of the APC, and most especially in states that are being governed by the opposition party. Biases in some sections might have made attempts to rubbish the good works of the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration, but the strong, impressive response of the public in the ongoing registration exercise has spoken the true minds of Nigerians and has put paid to the false narratives of party’s critics, cynics and the opposition.
“In response to the demands across the states for an extension to allow accommodation of all prospective members, the Party has therefore extended the nationwide membership registration exercise by a period of three (3) weeks.
“This extension will shift the end of the exercise to Wednesday 31st March, 2021. Additional disbursement of registration materials to meet up with the demands reported in most states has however commenced and will continue until the material needs of all the affected states are adequately met.
“Finally, and again, our appreciation goes to all who have made this exercise successful up to date; and a broad welcome to all new members into the party”, the party added.