Former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has urged his ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to serve as a feedback mechanism between President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians.
The former Ekiti state governor gave the charge, yesterday, in Abuja at the launch of a book, “APC and Transition Politics,” written by the immediate-past National Vice Chairman, North West, of the APC, Salihu Lukman.
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At the event, former National Woman Leader of the party, Sharon Ikeazor called for the amendment of the electoral law to prohibit cross carpeting by politicians.
Fayemi in goodwill message said: “If there is anybody, who can be described as the conscience of the APC and progressive politics in Nigeria today, more than any of us is Salihu Lukman. So, our being present here is a token in paying homage to the voice of the voiceless and that individual committed to be the voice in the wilderness that our party must be progressive.
“This party should be the one that tells our president that this is the feedback from the communities and constituency out there not what he is hearing in the villa, where he is locked out. All of us who hold public offices, we know how it can be. The book should be a compulsory read for members of the National Working Committee at the national level, state level, local government, ward level, so that we can begin the rebuilding process of this organic party, that Dr. Umar Ganduje is highly committed to.
On her part, Ikeazor lamented that Nigerian parties were devoid of their distinct ideologies, styles and processes being in stark ironies to their names.
“Flowing from the above, I believe our democracy will benefit greatly if we amend our electoral laws to prohibit cross-carpeting. It was personally heartbreaking for me to see many people pour into the APC immediately after our victory in 2015.
“Many of them had said the most despicable things about our party and then presidential candidate before the elections. To my mind, that dilution of our membership as well as the lack of a clear progressive roadmap caused us to lose sight of the progressive path.
“I do believe we need to design a mechanism that ensures we can hold candidates accountable after electoral victory. We have seen how candidates carry on like team players and abide by party rules during campaigns and turn out to be completely different persons upon ascension to a position of authority. To ensure governance is conducted as promised during campaigns, how do we hold aspirants’ ‘feet to the fire?
“Perhaps this is the time to establish a Progressive Governance Institute, modelled after the National Democratic Institute and International Republican Institute in the US,” she added.
Keynote address speaker and Leader of the Afenifere Renewal Group, Olawale Oshun said no politician should be allowed to own a structure.
Earlier, Chairman of the occasion and former interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande said ruling party politicians must have the audacity of discussing issues that afflict the party.
He said discussing the ills of the party and charting the way forward does not make anyone an opposition element.
National Chairman of the party, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje on his part said his leadership would continue to work on ideas capable of translating its manifesto into tangible gains for Nigerians.“Also speaking, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was represented by his spokesman, Laolu Akande said as progressives, Nigerians expect a lot from the APC.
Author of the book, Lukman said his motive was basically to stimulate discussions within the party and hopefully get the party leaders to own it and maybe mainstream it into the structures of the party.“
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