Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has appealed to the party’s state governors to outsource their training, research, and relevant consultancy services to The Progressives Institute (TPI).
He made the appeal on Monday in Abuja while inaugurating the Governing Council of the institute, which is a think tank and the intellectual resource centre of the APC.
Yilwatda said the inauguration of the council was the conclusion of the process of establishing the institute’s governance structure, which began with its unveiling on September 6, 2024.
He said the institute was established by the APC leadership as part of deliberate effort to strengthen its ideological and research capacity.
He added that it was also to encourage a research and ideological driven orientation in other political parties in the country.
Yilwatda added that even as the ruling party, the APC ensured that the process of establishing the institute complied with all relevant laws and regulatory requirements.
“This is to underscore our party’s commitment to the rule of law and to ensure that the institute can effectively operate as an independent, self-sustaining non-state organisation,” he said.
He explained that the council was the highest organ of the institute whose role was fundamental to the future of the institute, especially in realising the vision of the party and establishment goals.
“Our desire is to establish The Progressive Institute as a world class institution that will compete with the best in its category,” he said.
Yilwatda added that his decision to be the institute’s governing council chairman was to ensure that it got policy and strategic attention at the highest level of the party’s leadership.
He assured that the party’s entire leadership was fully committed to supporting and giving the institute the desired attention.
The National Chairman congratulated members of the council for supporting the APC and for accepting to continue to serve through the institute.
He said members of the council were carefully selected and highly recommended among thousands of qualified experts and outstanding Nigerians because of their pedigree and experiences.
“I have no doubt that you will contribute to our efforts to build a first class institute,” he said.
He appreciated President Bola Tinubu for his vision in establishing a premier political foundation in the country, assuring that the party’s leadership would ensure that his desire of a world class institution was achieved.
He appealed to the party’s elders, especially its state governors and representatives, to support the institute by outsourcing their training, research, and relevant consultancy services to it.
The Director-General of the institute, Dr. Lanre Adebayo, assured the APC leadership of his management’s commitment to setting a standard for the institute and living up to its mandate.
Adebayo added that committed members of the party were engaged as its staff, saying that any staff that was not a member of the party would be asked to resign.
