Governors of Ondo, Ogun and Osun states, Rotimi Akeredolu, Dapo Abiodun and Gboyega Oyetola, respectively, as well as a former Ogun State governor, Olusegun Osoba, have called for the review of the Board of Trustees and internal democracy in the All Progressives Congress.
The governors and the ex-governor made their submissions on Friday at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Special Committee on the Review and Amendments of the APC Constitution in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Akeredolu, who is the Chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, said the South-West would constitute a committee that would present its position to the review committee.
He urged the committee to look into the constitution of the Board of Trustees of the party, mode of conducting primary elections and how to become a delegate.
Oyetola, who is a member, APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Committee, stressed the need for leaders and party members to observe and respect party supremacy by subsuming self-interest under the larger party interest.
The governor, who delivered the keynote address at the meeting, charged the Prof Tahir Mamman-led review committee to come up with amendments that would engender justice, equity, fairness and the rule of law.
“This constitution amendment requires all hands to be on deck. Every voice counts. We must all collaborate to make the exercise a success by proposing credible amendments at the individual, unit, ward, constituency and group levels for a stronger and more vibrant APC,” he said in a statement.
Also, Abiodun said it was time to amend the party constitution to make the party more potent and acceptable to the people.
He said, “It is important that we come together to appraise ourselves as members of this great party, and even look critically at the structure of our party. This will give us the opportunity to evaluate the journey so far. It is a period of self-examination.
“In doing this, the constitution of our party is a vital instrument that we must continuously re-evaluate. If we must prove to others that we are true democrats, we must be seen as practising and ensuring internal democracy even within the party.”
On his part, Osoba called on the review committee to ensure that internal democracy remains the cardinal principle of the party at all levels.
The Chairman of the APC Constitution Review Committee, Mamman, assured members of the party that the committee would take into consideration all views generated from the zone.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the party chairman in Ogun State, Chief Yemi Sanusi, noted the need to review the current party constitution, which he said had been in existence since the formation of the party in 2013.
