From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for promoting internal democracy by participating in the ongoing All Progressives Congress (APC) membership registration and revalidation exercise across the country.
In a statement he issued last weekend in Abuja, the APC chieftain expressed gratitude to President Buhari for flagging-off the APC membership revalidation at Daura, Katsina State.
Okechukwu said that for upholding the internal democracy, he has bid goodbye to the imposition of candidates in APC.
‘One salutes President Buhari for promoting the doctrine of internal democracy, hence bidding goodbye to the imposition of candidates in the APC during primary elections.
‘I am glad that Mr President gave life oxygen to Section 7(viii) of the APC’s Constitution, which states inter alia, “To promote and uphold the practice of internal democracy at all levels of The Party’s organisation”.
‘Taking cognisance of upholding this core tenet of democracy and repositioning our great party, Mr President proclaimed that: “No more crowning from Abuja downward. Let the people know this and appreciate it that they are in charge of their constituencies and they are in charge of the party.”
‘Without any incentive, they must come out and defend the party at any level so that we, you and the party will feel secure and comfortable because the old-time of putting hands in the pocket is over because the money is no longer available,’ he noted.
Okechukwu further argued that the. President, as the leader of the party, has undoubtedly raised the red-flag to ubiquitous “Food is Ready politicians” who hang around the corridors of power at Abuja, and surreptitiously reap offices meant for hardworking apparatchik of the party.
‘In fact, to avoid the huge loss inflicted on our great party by the crass imposition of candidates in the 2018 primary elections, by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and cohorts, we must avoid the Red-Flag of undue endorsement of candidates.
‘For the avoidance of doubt, if not for the crass imposition of candidates in our party in 2018, the stocks of our sister political party, the PDP, could have crashed badly. Imposition in APC elevated the fortunes of a dying PDP, that today, they can afford to bandy fake news, make noise, fail to pay the bailout funds and subvert eloquent policies of Mr President like the Social Investment Programmes, and Executive Order 10.
‘I call on APC leadership at all levels to strictly adhere to Mr President’s red-flag proclamation that the party style and structure should no longer operate from Abuja downwards, but from the ward level upwards, so that people could defend the party and its policies at every level.
‘President Buhari’s proclamation is the height of the doctrine of internal democracy for all and the surest route to more participatory democracy. I advise those nursing the idea of an imposition to heed the call made by Mr President, as imposition does not enhance the growth of democracy. Imposition downgraded the PDP – let’s avoid this shithole,’ he warned.