By Sulaiman Aruna Sesay
All People’s Congress (APC), Monday 29th July, 2024, resumed members’ registration/verification. The National Executive Secretariat place a moratorium on the registration of new members into the party and payment of membership dues.
The resume of members’ registration/verification was as a result of the discrepancies found in the membership database which resulted to the temporary registration done by the Interim Transition Governance Committee (ITGC), the duplication of membership registration numbers, a stockpile of unattended membership application forms found at the Party office and the proliferation of fake membership cards and subscription receipts.
According to the press release, the registration/verification is to sanitize their membership and create an even and transparent registration process in accordance with the Party’s 2022 constitution, the secretariat, in consonance with the existing Party information Technology (IT) infrastructure has developed, from scratch, a new software structure to cater for membership registration, official party website and bulk messaging system.
The press release clearly stated that, consultations on the new system have been had with the secretariat officers; regional and district chairmen and secretaries, district and regional organizing secretaries, extended National Advisory Committee (NAC) that intended representatives from parliament, local councils, former standard bear aspirants, Elder council, Legal Team, former ministers and former parliamentarians, representatives of the diaspora and affiliate groups. The modification and alterations suggested at these meetings have been incorporated into the software.
It was reported that, upon the approval of the NAC, the National Secretariat shall commence verification of executive members, existing members and registration of new members into the party on Wednesday 31st July 2024. It was also noted that, a grand launching ceremony will be held at the party head quarter in Freetown on Wednesday 31st July 2024 at 12pm. And in every other district of the dates, times, and locations indicated in the itinerary hereto attached, all national, regional, district, constituency, ward, polling center and special organ executive members, other members are requested to be in attendance.
Pursuant to the Party’s Constitution 2022, applications for membership emanate from districts and final approval will be done by the National Secretary General (NSG), the Office of the National Organizing Secretary shall facilitate the recruitment drive, Approved of application shall be considered by a party local guarantor, the National Financial Secretary, the Officer-in-charge of the IT Department, before final approval by the NSG. All application must be considered and completed within 15 working days after they have imputed into the database.
According to the press release, the registration/verification process will take the following format:
- Verification/registration of all executive members at the polling centers, wards, constituencies, districts, regions, (including diapora), special organs and national level. It is expected that this process will last for a period of 90 days after commencement.
- Verification and re-registration of existing members . Existing members will be required to physically present themselves for verification during the verification period, which is to last for a period of one year from commencement. It must be noted that this is not a fresh registration. An existing member will continue to maintain his/her original date of registration and this initial date of registration will be boldly printed on the face of the new membership card to be issued. Any existing member who fails to present himself/herself during this period shall have his/her name struck off the membership register, but, if such member presents himself/herself after the verification period, such member shall have his/her name registered on the membership register as a new member.
- Registration of new members applications will be considered from all applicants who meet the minimum requirements set out in the constitution and guaranteed by a party guarantor. This will be an ongoing process.
