By Kenneth Onuoha
As the All Progressives Congress (APC) flags-off its membership revalidation exercise nationwide, the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for promoting the doctrine of internal democracy in the ruling party.
He made this assertion in a statement on Sunday, January 31, 2021 as he said that the party is bidding goodbye to the culture of imposition of candidates.
“I am glad that Mr. President gave life oxygen to Section 7(viii) of the APC’s constitution, which encourages the promotion of internal democracy at all levels of The party.
“Taking cognizance 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.
“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 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,” he said.