By: Joseph Abasi-Abasi, Calabar
The All Progressives’ Congress (APC) has commenced its online membership e-registration exercise in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, with party leaders, government officials and members describing the process as smooth, inclusive and encouraging.
Speaking shortly after registering, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Cross River State on Public Affairs, Mr. Nsa Gill, described the exercise as a timely and laudable initiative, urging residents to take advantage of the continuous registration process.
According to him, Calabar South has historically recorded impressive voter turnout during elections, a strength he said should also be reflected in the number of registered members of the ruling party.
“We in Cross River State, and particularly Calabar South, need to prove a point. If you check INEC results, Calabar South often produces more votes than many other local governments. That should also be reflected in our party registration numbers,” Gill said.
He explained that while the registration is continuous, it is important for party supporters to formally identify themselves as APC members to fully participate in party activities and benefit from party-based programmes, especially those tied to empowerment and grassroots development.
Gill further noted that the APC-led government at both the national and state levels operates on the Renewed Hope Agenda and the People First mantra, adding that although the governor governs inclusively, some programmes are designed to reward party loyalty and commitment.
“I am happy to be one of the early registrants. I have received my temporary membership slip, and I know the permanent one will be issued in due course. I encourage people across Calabar South and beyond to come out and register as card-carrying members of the APC,” he added.
On the ease of the process, Gill said the registration was simple and not cumbersome, attributing this to government support in providing logistics, equipment and internet facilities. He noted that prospective registrants only need their National Identity Number (NIN) and Voter Identification Number (VIN) to complete the process.
Also speaking, Mr. Asikpo Foster, Ward Chairman of APC Ward 12, confirmed that the online registration exercise officially began in Calabar South and is open to all party members.
He explained that registration centres have been decentralised across wards to ensure accessibility, with ward chairmen coordinating the process.
“Because of the size of some wards, we have multiple registration points. In my ward alone, we have four centres. Members can reach out to their ward chairmen or follow information shared on our platforms to know where to register,” Foster said.
Assessing the first day of the exercise, he described the turnout as impressive, linking it to public satisfaction with the performance of the APC-led government in the state.
“The number of people coming out shows that Cross Riverians are happy with the services of our governor. People want to associate with success,” he noted.
While acknowledging initial technical and logistical challenges, Foster said the issues were being addressed by relevant authorities.
Similarly, a legal practitioner and APC member, Barrister Bassey Ita Kufre, who also registered early, described the process as seamless and stress-free, aside from minor network challenges.
“I urge all members to participate because this process will yield positive outcomes in the future,” he said.
On his part, the Ward 12 Lead Agent for the e-registration exercise, Mr. Anthony Edet Victor, confirmed that the process has been largely smooth, with network connectivity being the main challenge.
“For day one, we are focusing on registering stakeholders, while from tomorrow we will attend to other members. The requirements are simple: NIN and VIN,” he stated.
The APC online registration exercise is expected to continue across Calabar South and other parts of Cross River State as the party intensifies efforts to strengthen its membership base ahead of future political engagements.
