FOR Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a shade to all progressive individuals, groups with parties, irrespective of their socio-political and economic divides.
Fayemi, who is the party’s Contact and Mobilisation Committee Chairman in the Southwest, said the party has flung its door open to other platforms and interest groups outside of the four parties that had publicly endorsed merger.
According to him, the merger of the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN); the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP); the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC); and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), will “create a robust platform that would strive towards the realisation of a better Nigeria.”
The governor, who gave the open invitation in a statement by his spokeman, Mr Olayinka Oyebode, in Ado-Ekiti, at the weekend, assured of APC’s commitment to the emergence of a more egalitarian polity.
The statement reads: “The birth of APC at a time Nigerians earnestly yearn for accountable, responsive and responsible leadership is quite significant.
“Nigerians, who are already tired of the consuming gridlock and desirous of change would be mobilised to join the new party based on the core values of freedom, social justice, equality and solidarity.”
Noting that the party would equally embrace the principles of social democracy, with emphasis on the values of collective justice and individual freedom, Fayemi was quoted as saying: “It is a renaissance and collective mission to redeem and remedy our much bruised destiny.
“Our party will undertake to facilitate radical socio-economic and political transformation of the country. Our programme priorities shall be agricultural development, jobs creation, free education, infrastructural development, poverty eradication and rapid technological development.
“The APC manifesto will highlight strategic short, medium and long-term programme initiatives to be undertaken by all governments produced by the party.
“APC will restore the values of federalism and the virtues of internal democracy in the quest to deepen good and democratic governance.
“The decentralisation and devolution of powers at the centre shall be a fundamental tenet of the APC’s political frame work, allowing all parts of the country to feel a sense of belonging and ownership.
“Gender equality and the empowerment of women who have been denied their inalienable rights for long shall be a major focus of the activities of the party and all the progressive governors’ alliance, holding the sawy in the Southwest will soon roll out plans for outreach without prejudice to all and sundry.
“The APC is a viable, credible and alternative platform, willing and capable of providing the right leadership that will get the country out of the woods. APC is a movement for renewal, not just a political party.”
