Rivers APC Chieftain Explains Revalidation Of Party Membership, Cites Interior Ministry Reforms

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Darlington Nwauju, has said his decision to revalidate his membership of the party was informed by the reforms and institutional transformation recorded at the Federal Ministry of Interior under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Nwauju spoke shortly after participating in the ongoing nationwide APC e-membership registration and revalidation exercise at Obiohia Ward 3, Polling Unit 17, Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“I accepted to revalidate my APC membership to re-echo my support for the reforms and institutional transformation recorded at the Ministry of Interior since August 21, 2023, when Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo assumed office,” he said.

He urged APC members across Omuma LGA and other parts of Rivers State to take advantage of the one-week extension granted for the exercise, noting that increased participation would strengthen the party’s grassroots structure and internal organisation.

Nwauju said the Ministry of Interior has recorded significant improvements across the four paramilitary agencies under its supervision, including enhanced border management and increased efforts to curb smuggling and human trafficking through the use of technology.

He also cited improvements in staff welfare, noting that more than 75,202 officers have been promoted across the agencies, alongside an increase in feeding allowances for inmates in correctional centres nationwide.

According to him, the ministry has cleared a backlog of 204,332 international passports, standardised Nigeria’s passport system, introduced centralised data capturing at the Nigeria Immigration Service, and deployed contactless e-gates to reduce travel time and improve security screening at airports.

Nwauju further listed the modernisation of fire service stations across the country as part of the reforms recorded under the current administration.

A founding member of the APC, Nwauju has previously served on the party’s Interim Committee, acted as the party’s Local Government Area agent during the 2019 presidential election, served as LGA Caretaker Chairman between 2020 and 2021, and was elected into the Rivers State Executive Committee during the October 16, 2021 nationwide congresses.

He also cautioned the national leadership of the APC against downplaying unresolved litigations involving the party in Rivers State, warning that failure to address the legal issues could negatively affect the party’s electoral prospects, as experienced in 2019.