by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Plateau State chapter of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) party has officially launched its “membership revalidation card,” alongside the presentation of nomination forms and party guidelines to members in Jos.
This was in line with Nigeria’s new electoral laws, which require political parties to submit digital membership registers before conducting party primaries. Membership registration has become a critical component of party organization and compliance.
Leader of the party in the State, who is former Minister of Youths and Sports, Barr Solomon Seclap Dalung, on Saturday commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly of Nigeria for the amendment of the Electoral Act, describing it as a “step towards strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.”
While urging aspirants within the African Democratic Congress to intensify grassroots mobilization, the ex-Minister stated that, the party’s primary elections will be conducted through direct primaries.
Barr. Dalung further described the exercise as a bold step in strengthening internal democracy and repositioning the party for greater political participation.
He noted that the membership revalidation card is designed to update and authenticate the party’s register and to ensure that only duly-recognized members participate in party activities and decision-making processes.
Similarly, stakeholders at the gathering commended the initiative, describing it as a move that will further consolidate the party’s structure and grassroots mobilization efforts.
The state leadership of the party reaffirmed its commitment to fairness, accountability and inclusiveness, as the party continues to mobilize support across the State’s 17 local government areas.
He also debunked rumours suggesting that the leadership of the African Democratic Congress in Plateau State is in crisis, and maintained that the party remains united. He called on members to respect the leadership of the State Chairman, Samuel Pam Gyang, and work collectively to strengthen the party.
Speaking earlier, Plateau State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, Samuel Pam Gyang, commended the leader of the party in the state for his continued support and commitment to strengthening the party’s structure.
He called on party faithful to take advantage of the opportunity to register and revalidate their membership, noting that the party’s doors remain open to new members willing to join.
According to him, the Nigerian people are referred to as the true holders of power, and expresses gratitude towards them.
Barr. Dalung said the unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is a significant event in Nigerian politics, while recalling the long struggle and obstacles faced during the formation of ADC, which took about 18 months.
He explained that, the coalition faced infiltration from those opposed to democracy in Nigeria, but the leaders remained committed to rescuing the country.
“The leaders of the coalition have a different approach, compared to those who aim to destroy Nigeria, focusing on solving the country’s problems. The mission of the ADC is to rescue democracy and hand over the country to the younger generation before the current leaders pass away,” he stated.
While criticizing the current state of democracy in Nigeria – where the government serves only a few and their families – the ex-Minister acknowledged the issues of insecurity, hunger, and poverty, which are more severe than during the Civil War.
He assured that even, if all governors and security officials defect to APC, the Nigerian people should not be intimidated, adding that, the achievement of electronic transfer and the return of power to the Nigerian people are celebrated.
He advised potential aspirants to focus on building a support-base, rather than following party leaders for tickets, adding that, “The difficulty of achieving consensus in Nigerian democracy is noted, but direct primaries are seen as a more democratic process.”
Barr. Dalung also stressed the importance of visiting and talking to the people, in order to gain support for primaries, as doing so is very important.
He further emphasized the need for party members to honor and respect their leaders and the reconciliation process, adding that, the responsibility of the party chairman is to unite members.
He said the membership registration process, including the requirement for a membership card is to enable registered members to participate in the primaries, and revealed that, Plateau chapter has a 19-member committee, and some names were disqualified during the registration process.
The cost of the Membership Card is outlined, and the importance of having the card for primaries is emphasized.