APC Constitution Review Committee Seeks Inputs From Party Members

• Constitution, Review

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on party members to submit inputs for the ongoing constitution review excercise aimed at taking the party to greater heights
The Chairman of APC Constitution Review Committee, Prof. Mammam Tahir, made the call on Friday in Abeokuta while addressing party members during the South-West stakeholders’ meeting of the party.

Mammam, who led other members of the committee to the meeting, explained that the national leadership of the APC had decided to review the party’s constitution.

He explained that the meeting became necessary to receive contributions at the grassroots level in order to come up with a working document that would be beneficial to all members of the party.

“APC has resolved to review its constitution in such a way that will make it a model, even for other political parties which are still struggling to survive, hence, the need to include the inputs of party men and women at the grassroots.

Justifying the decision, the chairman said that a lot of issues had emerged while some practices had equally been imported into the party since year 2013/2014, adding that the constitution needed to be updated to reflect the wishes of the people.

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“Since year 2013/2014 when the present constitution came into being, lots of issues, some gaps have emerged, and also some practices have come on board since the inauguration of the Caretaker Committee which we need to incorporate into the document.

“We all know that the Constitution is a working document, but it is not possible to develop a constitution that will cover all generations and all periods.

“This committee thought it wise that there is no way it can justifiably craft a political document at the party’s headquarters in Abuja without seeking the input of the grassroots.

Therefore, if APC is a progressive party, it has to focus on the people in such a way that will make them have a way of making inputs.

“New provisions need to be added and some have to be taken out.

“If you look at the APC Constitution, there are things that needed not to be there at the moment.

“This is an extremely important exercise and we are happy that this zone has taken it with a level of seriousness,” he said.

Earlier in his opening address, Gov. Dapo Abiodun, noted that the constitution review exercise presented party members another opportunity for a re-evaluation of the journey so far, particularly since year 2015 when the APC became the national rulling party.

He stressed the need for continued re-evaluation of the constitution to demonstrate the democratic tendencies of the APC.

“We must be seen as practising and ensuring internal democracy even within the party.

“As a matter of fact, we are happy that this is coming just as registration of new members and revalidation of old ones into the largest party in Africa is continuing”.

Abiodun noted that the APC had witnessed an explosion in number of membership, particularly with the recent migration of political stalwarts from other rival political parties.

“We must at this meeting be able to chart a course for ourselves and we must be committed and faithful to that agenda.

“That is why the South-West must continue to be the vanguard of political development in Nigeria. We cannot afford to lag behind,” Abiodun said.

The governors of Ondo and Osun states Rotimi Akeredolu and Gboyega Oyetola, in their respective remarks, stressed the need for the committee to reflect the inputs of the members in the final document.