Okechukwu hails Buhari for ‘promoting internal democracy’

By Jide Orintunsin, Abuja

The Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) Osita Okechukwu on Sunday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for promoting internal democracy in the ruling party.

The commendation was contained in a statement in Abuja on the heels of the flag-off of the All Progressives Congress (APC) membership registration, update and revalidation exercise at the weekend.

Okechukwu, who is a founding member of the ruling party, said by the action of the President, he has not only upheld internal democracy in the party but bid goodbye to the imposition of candidates in APC.

“One salutes President Buhari for promoting the doctrine of internal democracy, hence bidding goodbye to imposition of candidates in the APC during primary elections.

“I am glad that Mr. President gave life oxygen to Section 7(viii) of the APC’s Constitution, which states interalia, ‘To promote and uphold the practice of internal democracy at all levels of The Party’s organisation’.

“Taking cognizance of upholding this core tenet of democracy and repositioning our great party, Mr President proclaimed that, ‘No more crowning from Abuja downward.”

Okechukwu argued Buhari, as the party leader, has undoubtedly raised the red-flag to ubiquitous ‘Food is Ready politicians’ who hang around the corridors of power at Abuja, and surreptitiously reap offices meant for hardworking apparatchik of the party.

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“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 Programs, and Executive Order 10.”

He therefore called on APC leadership at all levels to strictly adhere to the President’s red-flag proclamation that the party style and structure should no longer operate from Abuja downwards but from the ward level upwards, so that people could defend the party and its policies vena at every level.”