Progressives Governors Forum DG calls on APC to strengthen political institutions

The Director-General of the Progressives Governors Forum,  PGF, Mr Salihu Lukman has called on Nigeria’s governing party, the All Progressives Congress, APC to strengthen political institutions and its bureaucracies across the country.

Mr Lukman in a statement referred to the US 2020 election and the fallouts from the election.

The Director-General said that due to the strong institutions and bureaucracies of the United States, the country’s Vice President, Mike Pence was able to uphold the election of the President-elect Joe Biden.

“Noting that Mike Pence is the running mate to President Trump, everyone with a Nigerian or Third World mindset would imagine that it is impossible for Vice President Pence to summon the courage to defy what could have ordinarily been interpreted to mean an instruction from President Trump to his Vice President. To be able to resist such a temptation that would have to prolong Mike Pence’s tenure as US Vice President for another four years wouldn’t have been made possible without incorruptible strong institutions, combined with the leadership of experienced people with integrity who have both values and the fear of God,“  he explained

Mr Lukman who described bureaucracies as rules guiding decision making and implementation said the APC needs to strengthen such rules in order to produce good leaders.

“A very significant priority is the development of bureaucracy within our political parties. This is because given the role of political parties in producing political leaders, once our parties are unable to recognise and respect the value of bureaucracies to guide processes of decision making and implementation within the party, elected leaders that they produce would most likely go into government with a mindset that at best disregard proposals and recommendations from civil service and other government bureaucracies. This can only breed administrative authoritarianism,“ he added.

The PGF DG further mentioned some areas that the APC needs to develop

“The need to undertake an audit of what currently exists as the party’s Secretariat, its functions and personnel. For instance, how is it structured to provide services to the APC as provided by the constitution of the party? Are there supportive rules provided for the operation of the party bureaucracy? How effective has the applications of those rules been? What is required to strengthen the rules guiding the discharge of functions of the Secretariat?

“How are the personnel of the Secretariat recruited? Are there standard recruitment guidelines, highlighting qualifications requirements? How can the process be strengthened?

“The third issue is the question of funding,“ he stated.

Mr Lukman added that a lack of strong institutions have led to weak and poor implementation of policies.

He, therefore, enjoined scholars, analysts and Nigerians to not only point out the problems of government but suggest solutions.

The PGF DG also advised political leaders to be open to suggestions and recommendations from individuals and organisations.

PIAK