In a democracy, the power of numbers is an indismissible factor for gauging strength and relevance, in the same way party membership can never be said to be enough, since the more quality and quantity of membership that can be achieved by a party, the better it is for the health and well being of such political party. This is more so as the imprimatur of democracy is laid on participation and participatory governance.

History bears us out on this, especially in regards to the anecdotes of the cradle of ancient democracy in Athens. By this, I reference the birthing of the principle of ‘Isonomy’ – the fact that everyone in the society is on equal footing, and can participate democratically, which was a key element of the ancient life of the Athenian Polis. It was remarkable that this principle endured the times of the French and American Revolutions and transfigured into what we now call representative democracy: the government of the people, for the people, and by the people.

I make bold to say that it is in the spirit of the troika of Isonomy, Participation and Representation, which correlates to inclusiveness, that the doors of the APC is kept open for all Nigerians of like minds to walk in and participate in the democratic process, and that Progressives across the length and breadth of the country are jubilant about the spate of and volume of movements within the polity, of freedom and development-minded Nigerians into the APC.

One of such movements, and a kind that is uniquely epochal for that matter, is the latest declaration for the All Progressives Congress (APC), the institutional change agent of Nigeria’s contemporary democracy, of the former Vice-President of the Federal Republic, Atiku Abubakar. ('Atiku finally declares for APC, gives reasons for dumping PDP', News Express, Feb. 2, 2014.) Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, for all he represents in Nigeria’s geopolitical space, is very welcome to our fold.

Our manifesto and platform defines us clearly, in relations to our positionality and our deference to a shift from mere electoral democracy which characterizes the madness of Nigeria’s everyday politics and informs the winner-take-all profligacy of Nigeria’s democratic experience, to a society of true representative liberal democracy driven by a hunger for infrastructural regeneration, development at all levels of our society, total respect for human rights and the rule of law, and masses oriented policies.

Evidence of those can be gleaned from the breathtaking infrastructural transformation and awe-striking development on-going in all APC controlled states of the federation. Without a doubt, those assets inform our attractiveness, and the reason we have become the fastest growing political party across Africa.

As the APC positions to cure Nigeria of its ‘Strongmen’ adaptation to politics and negotiate a democratic culture of power diffusion, inclusiveness, accountability, deepened and strengthened democratic institutions for the long haul, it is gladdening to affirm that the embrace of a person of Atiku Abubakar’s stature is a huge asset in this direction.

The APC’s emphasis on the youth as a veritable social vehicle for a positively transformative change would make use of the vast experience of Atiku Abubakar; to form fodders of warmth and cushion around the younger generation which is important for the realization of the fresh breath in our polity which the APC canvasses; and to present our great party as the ultimate fulcrum on which Nigeria and its progress revolves going forward.

•Hon. Charles-Bruno Okpuruka, Deputy National Chairman (South) APC Canada Chapter, writes from Toronto, ON. Photo shows Atiku Abubakar.

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