The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has said the party is working with the Federal Government toward ensuring a better living condition for Nigerians.
Ganduje said this at the public presentation of a book: “APC and Transition Politics”, authored by the party’s former National Vice-Chairman (North West), Dr Salihu Lukman on Tuesday in Abuja.
He congratulated Lukman on the launch of the book, adding that there was need to restructure and reposition the APC.
“The APC as a political and the ruling party for that matter, the APC is an institution that should be well structured and positioned to serve a two way traffic.
“First, as an institution that is in charge of the recruitment of elective and appointive positions.
“And secondly, as an institution that is concerned with the protection of the party’s manifesto from local to state and national levels.
“And it is also an institution that must harness the demands and request of the people in order to transmit same to the ruling government for implementation,” he said.
The APC national chairman added that the party also had the responsibility of showcasing government’s achievements to the people.
Also speaking, former Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, commended the author for a well researched book.
“People like him should be regarded as the conscience of our party and that voice in the wilderness that really wants our party to be progressives indeed,” he said.
Fayemi said the book should be a compulsory read for every member of the party, from its leadership, its National Working Committee (NWC) and to the ward level to commence its rebuilding.
Sen. Adams Oshiohmole (APC-Edo), also lauded the author for a job well done.
Chief Bisi Akande, the pioneer chairman of the APC, tasked its members to speak freely on issues that would build the party and the country generally.
“We are APC and will continue to be APC, and to be truly APC, we have to have the audacity to freely discuss,” he said.
Sen. Ajibola Basiru, the reviewer of the book which was the fifth edition by the author, said the book was a must read to every political stakeholder.
Lukman in his remarks, said one of his driving forces was to stimulate discussion within the party and hopefully get the its leaders to own it and maybe mainstream it into its structures.
Lukma, also a former Director-General of the Progressives Governors’ Forum(PGF) said from Ganduje’s remark and other guest at the event, including Oshiomole, it was obvious that the APC had a clear future.
“What is required is to try and give critical support to all our leaders so that they can revive all the structures of the party.
“The whole concept of progressive governance or progressive politics is about making a better life.
“We will continue to write and we will take all the advice given. We will remain who we are and we will try to serve the party to the best of our knowledge,” Lukman said.
The event was attended by lawmakers, representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) members of APC National Working Committee (NWC) and some stakeholders.(NAN)