Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr Abdullahi Ganduje has said the party under him is determined to leverage on science and technology to deepen internal democracy while also promoting democracy.
Ganduje stated this at a one-day validation conference on the draft handbook of The Progressive Institute, a think tank of the party in Abuja yesterday.
The mission of the institute according to the handbook is to among others; deepen democracy, strengthen internal party democracy, promote participatory development, strengthen the bond between the party and its cadres as well as encouraging good governance at all levels of Nigeria’s governance system.
Ganduje said one of his major pronouncements immediately after his inauguration as national chairman of the party was the establishment of ‘The Progressive Institute’ as a platform not only to enhance the intellectual foundation of the party, but also to strengthen the process of decision-making through the deployment of research-driven, empirical and accountable approaches in APC’s operations.
The APC national chairman also said the conference was important as it was to review the draft Handbook of The Progressive Institute, which he said would serve as the party’s Think Tank as well as its Intellectual Resource Centre.
“The handbook was developed as part of our deliberate efforts to establish a world-class intellectual resource centre.
“We are determined to leverage on science and technology to deepen internal democracy while also promoting democracy, good governance, inclusiveness and equity in the country.
Our leadership is conscious of its historical responsibility to promote these ideals.
“The Progressive Institute will play a dual role for the APC. It will function as a Think Tank as well as an intellectual Resource Centre. As a Think Tank, it will undertake research either on its own or under the directives of the party, focusing on policies and programmes of governments under the APC platform. This will enhance the capacity to effectively play its role. It will also undertake capacity building activities for our members,” he said.
APC national secretary, Ajibola Basiru, said the establishment of the institute was not only beneficiary the party but to the entire country as will add value to governance system.
Earlier, the Director General of the Institute, Dr Lanre Adebayo, said the intention was to have a world class institution as demanded by the APC national chairman to promote party ideals and entrench progressives in Nigeria for overall development.
