…Ganduje emphasises science, technology for deepening democracy —
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has begun work on a draft handbook for its proposed Progressive Institute, an thinktank and intellectual resource centre for the party.
The exercise took place on Sunday in Abuja in partnership with the Institute for Governance and Leadership Studies in Africa, IGLSA.
Speaking during the event, the APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, says the party was determined to raise the quality of political discourse and ideology, to drive good governance in Nigeria.
According to Mr Ganduje, the institute will serve as the think-tank and APC’s intellectual resource centre, when fully operational.
The APC national chairman said the party had articulated a handbook as part of its deliberate efforts to establish a world-class intellectual resource centre.
“One major pronouncement I made after my inauguration as national chairman was to establish Progressive Institute as a platform to enhance the intellectual foundation of our party and strengthen decision-making process,’’ he said.
Mr Ganduje said the party was determined to leverage on science and technology to deepen internal democracy while promoting good governance, inclusiveness and equity in the country.
He said APC was conscious of its responsibility to promote the ideals, adding that the proposed institute would play a dual role as a Think-tank and Intellectual Resource Centre.
“The Institute will provide platform for research on policies and programmes of governments under the APC platform.
“It will also build the capacity of our members to effectively provide good governance to Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Ganduje said that curriculum for ideological training for members of the party, including those in government, would be developed by the institute.
He said the essence of developing the handbook, as part of the initial foundational materials of the institute, was to ensure smooth take-off of the body.
He advised participants to listen attentively to the resource persons and contribute meaningfully, adding that APC hoped to achieve better result from the conference.
The event, chaired by Prof. Nuhu Yaqub, a former Vice-Chancellor of University of Abuja, was attended by members of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, and other stakeholders.
NAN
