National chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC) Mr Adams Oshiomhole, has stated that his party is establishing an institute for progressive studies in Nigeria.

Oshiomhole stated this on Wednesday when he led members of National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at State House, Abuja.

While briefing journalists at the Villa, he said the meeting was mainly to congratulate the president on his recent victory at the polls.

Mr Buhari was declared winner of the February 23 presidential election by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Oshiomhole while explaining the rationale behind the establishment of the institute said it is mainly to educate its members to know more about the ideals of the party.

”We also assured the president our commitment to build institute for progressive studies.

”People belong to various political parties, they don’t even understand the ideology of that party, if they have any. Some are not even familiar with the manifestos and they don’t have conversations about how appropriate or inappropriate those manifestos are.

”And you will find that people holding very high position in the government both legislative and executive and even party leaders may not even be aware of what we stand for. And so we told the president we are going to build an institute for progressive studies so that people understand what defines us. What is the essence of progressive politics? Basically, (it) is about social democracy,” he said.

He said his party must be seen as being for the poor, putting policies in place that will lift Nigerians out of poverty and recreate the Nigeria middle class.

”Unless you recreate the Nigeria middle class, you are not going to have a stable and a peaceful society,” he added.

He also said one of the main purposes of establishing the institute was for everybody elected on the platform of the party to understands dos and don’ts, in terms of politics and policy choices.

”We think this is not something we want to be doing on an ad-hoc basis. We don’t want to go and sleep because we have won election, the fact that we have won election means a call to duty, so we have to work together to ensure these things are done.”

On the public outcry that trailed the ministerial list, Oshiomhole said people have the rights to make observations and to complain even if there is no validity in those complaints.

PT