Poor Funding, Low Membership Turnout Threaten APC Revalidation Exercise

The forthcoming Membership Registration and Revalidation Exercise of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may see low turnout of registrants following lack of financial mobilization by party chieftains.

A chieftain who pleaded anonymity told journalists that he did not see government appointees using their resources to mobilize intending registrants who are also required to pay for membership /registration.

The APC registration was flagged-off on Saturday in Daura, Katsina State by the President, Muhammadu Buhari.

The membership registration and revalidation was earlier scheduled for February 1st but has been shifted to February 9th.

In his remarks, the chieftain said that willing party members may be hindered by lack of finances.

The chieftain explained that members from their units, wards or local government would expect Chieftains to pay N150 or N200 for them but may not be possible.

The chieftain said it would be difficult for chieftains of the party to mobilize anybody with money since they were not mobilized by the party from the National secretariat.

As the ruling party targets 20 million registrants nationwide, a source believes that the party is expected to generate around 2 billion naira or more from the exercise.

The source said that other political parties usually mobilize their members for such assignments and wondered why APC is not taking such steps.

The source said, “they would send me to my village and expect me to go and gather money that l didn’t get from where l am working to come and share to people to come and register. If they like let only ten persons register in my unit, ward or local government, l will defend myself. Are they not supposed to know that those who have appointments should be giving money so that they would be able to get more people to register. I will ask them how much am l getting from my appointment that l would come and be sharing my money. I will only market the registration with my mouth, l am not going to go and borrow money to do anything

“The people are paying to register and if they don’t pay they would not value it. Now you are the owner or a leader of your community and if you go there they would expect you to give them money, yes, you should because they are willing to register but they don’t have money
and what do you expect from them. They have to take photographs and all these things are money. Every party would do it. When you go to some places people don’t have money to buy food, sometimes you buy for them, isn’t it. Those people that can pay will pay, those who cannot but are willing should be assisted. So, how do you now assist when if you are not giving anything to assist.”