The Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) Executive Council on Tuesday organised a retreat to set agenda for 2023 general elections.
The one-day retreat, tagged “Setting the Agenda”, was held in Ikeja.
It had in attendance some members of Governance Advisory Council (GAC), as well as state and local government areas party executives.
Chief Henry Ajomale, a former Lagos APC Chairman and member of the GAC, said that the goal of all political parties was to win elections and be able to form sustainable government.
Ajomale, speaking on “Roles and Responsibilities of Party Executives” noted that winning elections was dependent on party members’ ability to manage each other.
According to him, members must resolve issues where necessary and help build trust among themselves no matter the level.
“A party must also have a vision and its internal workings and affairs must always emulate a vision where transparency is a key factor to provide a level playing ground for all members and executives.
“Also, executive members must ensure effective synergy from national level down to the local government level,’’ he said.
Ajomale said that APC executives must take their responsibilities seriously and be dogged in pursuing them ahead of 2023 general elections.
“Usually there can be clashes, confusion or lack of understanding, it is at such a point we need and seek legal interpretation from the state legal adviser,” he said.
According to him, each executive member must be seen to be undiluted and totally loyal to the party no matter what, and represent the interest of the party at any given time.
“Loyalty is absolutely and undoubtedly the major role of any executive member of the party,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Babatunde Ogala (SAN), a former National Legal Adviser of APC, urged the ruling party to constitute its Board of Trustees/National Advisory Council to stem all crisis within the party.
Delivering a paper on Conflict, Management and Resolution, Ogala said that conflict remained unavoidable in social and political affairs because of diversity.
“Article 11 (a) (ii) of the APC Constitution provides for the National Advisory Council as one of the organs of the party and under Article 13(2) (a), its function states thus:
“The National Advisory Council shall:(i) be the conscience and soul of the party, and shall represent and demonstrate the highest standard of morality in the Party.”
“However, APC does not have a Board of Trustees/Advisory Council which should be the conscience of the party, six years after clinching power.
“As a result, crisis within the party festers,’’ he said.
Ogala, a former Lagos Assembly lawmaker, said power imbalance, limited resources and task interdependence could contribute to the development of conflict within a political party.
He said that incompatible goals, personality difference and communication problems could also be a major factor that could contribute to the development of conflict in the party.
“Effective conflict management encourages enthusiasm, boosts morale, and stimulates individuals in a group, while ineffective conflict management produces more conflict and destructive effects to a group.
“Conflict management minimises the negative outcomes of conflict and promotes the positive outcomes of conflict with the goal of improving learning among group members,” he added.
Ogala said that failure to manage conflict the appropriate way, could lead to loss of lives, hate speeches, governance disruption, uncertainty, displacements and destruction of property, unnecessary and avoidable litigation.
Also, Associate Prof. Tunde Oseni, delivering a lecture titled: “Mobilisation of Party Members for Elections”, said a good party mobiliser must have a balanced knowledge of politics, policies and propaganda.
Oseni, Head, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Lead City University, Ibadan, said that internal mobilisation must precede external mobilisation.
He said that party leaders, members and operatives must understand the dynamics of politics, policies and propaganda.
