Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State on Monday flagged off the All Progressives Congress (APC) electronic membership registration exercise.

Mr Aiyedatiwa, speaking at the e-registration training exercise in Akure, said the process was critical to the growth, credibility, and future planning of the ruling party.

He stressed the need for party members to fully appreciate the challenges and significance of the registration drive, urging them to demonstrate commitment by taking the registration exercise seriously.

According to him, mobilisation should be based on influence and encouragement rather than coercion.

The governor said the e-registration initiative aligned with the long-standing vision of President Bola Tinubu before he even became the president.

“This is to tell you how important this exercise is. It is very, very important for our party, not just our party, but the leader of our party, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Aiyedatiwa explained that the exercise would also bring equalisation, as all members would be registered within the same framework and timeframe, noting that he was personally taking the lead.

He further stated that the exercise would end on January 31, 2026, thereby giving party officials enough time to register as many members as possible.

The governor urged party officials to ensure that all interested members, including new members and those previously registered manually, were captured before the deadline.

He noted that since information, education, skills, and ICT have now become the drivers of modern economies, they should also be applied to manage party affairs effectively.

Addressing the participants, the APC national vice-chairman, South-West, Isaac Kekemeke, said the ongoing exercise was critical to strengthening the APC’s structure, internal democracy, and credibility ahead of future congresses and primary elections.

Emphasising the need for diligence, he urged the trainees to pay attention to details during the exercise, which he described as technology-driven.

The APC chieftain highlighted the importance of building a credible database, noting that data would help the party identify its members, plan effectively, and strengthen internal processes.

In his address of welcome, the special adviser to Mr Aiyedatiwa on legislative matters and party affairs, Babatunde Kolawole, commended the governor for taking the lead in ensuring the success of the exercise.

(NAN)