African Democratic Congress, ADC, yesterday rolled out a nationwide membership revalidation, mobilisation and registration exercise, describing it as a deliberate push to strengthen its internal structures, grow its grassroots base and reposition for future political engagements.
The exercise was formally unveiled in Abuja during the inauguration of the party’s Membership, Revalidation, Mobilization and Registration, MRMR, committee, where the National Chairman of the party, Senator David Mark, alongside the committee chairman, Alhaji Kashim Imam, addressed party leaders and members.
Mark said the decision to constitute the committee was taken by the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, noting that a credible and verifiable membership register remained central to the growth, legitimacy and survival of the party.
“African Democratic Congress, ADC, was founded on the principles of justice, equity, accountability, and people-centered governance. For these ideals to translate into political success, our party must rest on a solid, credible and verifiable membership base, supported by effective mobilisation structures across the federation.
“No political party can aspire to national relevance without a strong, active and properly documented membership. Membership is the lifeblood of any democratic organization. It determines legitimacy, strength, reach and ultimately, electoral victory.
“As we look ahead to future political engagements, it has become imperative to revalidate our existing members, register new ones, strengthen our grassroots presence, and harmonize our membership records nationwide,” he said.
The ADC chairman also disclosed that new membership cards to be issued during the exercise would feature enhanced security measures and would be tailored to individual states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Charging members of the MRMR committee, Mark urged them to approach the assignment with integrity, fairness and transparency, stressing that the exercise was designed to strengthen, not divide, the party.
“Let me emphasise that this exercise is not about exclusion, but inclusion, strengthening, organising, and repositioning our party to meet the expectations of Nigerians who yearn for credible leadership and democratic governance,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, MRMR Committee Chairman, Alhaji Kashim Imam, described the inauguration as the beginning of a fresh chapter for ADC.
There is a new regime, there is a new sheriff in town and I’m proud to say that this party is going to be a very different party,.
“May I on behalf of all the members of my committee accept formally the responsibility that has been vested on us to serve African Democratic Congress. I want to say with all sense of responsibility that we will discharge our responsibilities diligently.
“Most importantly, we will return African Democratic Congress to the average Nigerian. Our party, the ADC, is a grassroots movement.
“We will endeavour to ensure we invite the peasants, the ordinary Nigerian, the masses, the poor, the downtrodden, to take charge, to take responsibility, to assume ownership of the ADC,” Imam said.
Emphasising the seriousness of the assignment, Imam assured party members that the committee would work relentlessly to meet the deadline set by the party leadership.
“I want to assure you, on behalf of all the members of the committee, that we will not sleep, we will not rest, we will work 24-7.
“You will see us mobilising and registering members in the creeks, in the deserts, across the length and breadth of this country. This is a mass movement,” he said.
The MRMR committee is mandated to oversee the registration of new members nationwide, design and implement a grassroots-focused mobilisation strategy, carry out comprehensive membership revalidation across the states and the Federal Capital Territory, harmonise existing records and deploy both electronic and manual registration platforms.
The committee is also expected to submit an interim report to the NWC within 30 days.
