The All Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced its online membership registration exercise in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, with party leaders, government officials and members hailing the initiative as smooth, inclusive and encouraging.
The exercise, which officially took off on Tuesday, is part of the party’s ongoing efforts to expand its membership base and strengthen grassroots participation across the state.
Speaking shortly after completing his e-registration, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Cross River State on Public Affairs, Mr. Nsa Gill, described the initiative as timely and strategic, urging residents and party supporters to take full advantage of the continuous registration window.
According to Gill, Calabar South has consistently recorded high voter turnout during elections, a strength he said should be reflected in the number of registered members of the ruling party.
“Calabar South has always shown strength at the polls. If you look at INEC results, this local government often produces more votes than many others. That strength should also be reflected in our party registration figures,” he said.
He explained that while the registration exercise is continuous, it is important for APC supporters to formally identify as card-carrying members to fully participate in party activities and benefit from party-driven programmes, particularly those focused on empowerment and grassroots development.
Gill further noted that the APC-led administrations at the national and state levels are driven by the Renewed Hope Agenda and the People First mantra, adding that although Governor Bassey Otu governs inclusively, certain programmes are designed to reward party loyalty and commitment.
“I am glad to be among the early registrants. I have received my temporary membership slip and look forward to the permanent one. I encourage people across Calabar South and beyond to come out and register as bona fide members of the APC,” he said.
Commenting on the process, Gill described the registration as simple and user-friendly, attributing the ease to government support in providing logistics, equipment and internet facilities. He added that prospective registrants only require 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 has commenced fully in Calabar South and is open to all party members.
He explained that registration centres have been decentralised across the wards to ensure easy access, with ward chairmen coordinating the exercise.
“Due to the size of some wards, we have multiple registration points. In my ward alone, there are four centres. Members can contact their ward chairmen or follow information shared on our platforms to know where to register,” Foster said.
Assessing the turnout on the first day, he described it as impressive, attributing the response to public satisfaction with the performance of the APC-led government in Cross River State.
“The number of people turning out shows that Cross Riverians are pleased with the performance of our governor. People naturally want to associate with success,” he noted.
While acknowledging minor technical and logistical challenges at the initial stage, Foster assured that the issues were being promptly addressed by the 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-related challenges.
“I encourage all party members to participate actively. This exercise will yield positive outcomes for the party 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 encountered so far.
“For the first day, we are focusing on registering stakeholders, while subsequent days will accommodate other members. The requirements are straightforward — NIN and VIN,” he stated.
The APC online membership registration exercise is expected to continue across Calabar South and other parts of Cross River State, as the party intensifies efforts to consolidate its structure and strengthen grassroots mobilisation ahead of future political engagements.
Kingsley Agim
