The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje has said that the ruling party was determined to raise the quality of political discourse in the country through very well defined ideological prisms.
Ganduje made this known on Saturday in Abuja at a one-day validation conference on the draft handbook of The Progressive Institute — APC’s think tank and intellectual resource centre.
The chairman noted that the handbook was developed as part of deliberate efforts to establish a world-class intellectual resource centre.
Ganduje recalled that one of his major pronouncements immediately after he was inaugurated as the 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.
He noted that the Institute would also strengthen the process of decision-making through the deployment of research-driven, empirical and accountable approaches in the APC’s operations.
His words: “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.”
The Chairman stressed that this would enhance the capacity to effectively play its role and to also undertake capacity building activities for members.
Ganduje added: “In both roles, the centre will carry out research on progressive ideals and their programmatic implications while also developing the curriculum for ideological training for members of the APC including those in government.
“It is important to emphasize the determination of our party to raise the quality of political discourse in the country through very well defined ideological prisms.”
The chairman explained that the essence of developing the handbook, as part of the initial foundational materials of the Institute was to ensure global standard and thoroughness in the development of both the intellectual and professional materials of the institution.
He noted that the conference provided an opportunity to further enrich the document and I wish to thank our highly distinguished resource persons for their expected quality contributions.
Earlier, the Director General of the Institute, Dr. Lanre Adebayo said since they started the journey, all they have been doing is to have a world class institution as demanded by the chairman of the party.
He stressed that the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) have been very supportive.
Adedayo explained that they also plan to organise a governance forum where governors elected on the platform of the party, as well ministers would come and give scorecards of their performances to the party.
He revealed that The Progressive Institute is concluding the process of registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).