Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Tunde Balogun, said yesterday that there would be no basis for any parallel membership registration and validation in the chapter.
He said the process would not be hijacked, urging party faithful to get ready for the assignment.
Balogun warned against a plot to create crisis by certain aggrieved members by conducting a parallel registration, saying it would fail.
He spoke yesterday at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the party secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja, ahead of the exercise billed to start in Lagos next Tuesday.
Dismissing the antics of those pushing for factional registration, Balogun said: “To prevent this, we want to register people freely and we will do it in a fair manner so that no one will feel cheated and neglected. I don’t see the possibility of their success. They will fail.”
He said the chapter would embark on aggressive mobilisation of members, adding that new members would also be attracted to the platform.
The Chairman of the Registration Committee, Dr. Mohammed Bashir, advised against mudslinging, saying members should work together and ensure that “nobody is excluded, nobody is left behind.”
House of Representatives member James Faleke (Ikeja Constituency) wondered why existing party members should be asked to re-register, instead of revalidating their membership, citing the re-registration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the column for revalidation of existing members was missing on the party’s membership registration form.
House of Assembly member Jude Idimogwu urged the committee to ensure that non-indigenes, including the Igbo and the Hausa were given sense of belonging during the exercise.
Party leaders at the meeting included Local Government and Chieftaincy Commissioner Dr. Wale Ahmed, Caretaker Secretary Lanre Ogunyemi, Caretaker Assistant Publicity Secretary Abiodun Salami, federal lawmakers Rotimi Agunsoye, Ganiyu Johnson, Jimi Benson, Bashiru Dawodu, Gbolahon Yishawu, Hons. Nurudeen Saka-Solaja, Suraju Tijani, Idimogwu, Sentoji David, Wale Rauf, Fatai Mojeed, and the Chairperson of Conference 57 and Chairman, Lagos Mainland Local Government, Omolola Essien.