The merging All Progressive Congress (APC) has formally applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for registration as a political party.
The development came just as the interim executive committee (IEC) of the APC failed to emerge yesterday, in spite of the meeting of the joint committee of the merging political parties.
Addressing journalists after the meeting of the joint merger committee in Abuja yesterday, a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Tom Ikimi, said the application was submitted to the electoral umpire last Friday, adding that the document was signed by the national chairmen, secretaries and treasurers of the three merging parties — the ACN, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
He further appealed for transparency and internal party democracy particularly at this stage of registration, adding that all stakeholders involved in the process should subscribe to and respect these fundamental principles.
Ikimi said: “I am aware that millions of Nigerians await the final registration of our new party, the APC, so that they can avail themselves the opportunity to take up its membership. The plan, hope and commitment of the merger committee are that the new party will be broad-based, open and truly belong to all its members equally. To this end, we have all subscribed to our new constitution and it defines, quite clearly, the leadership structure of the party. This principle underscores equality and fair play among party members without prejudice.
“ We will therefore strive to guarantee transparency and internal party democracy particularly at this stage of registration. We expect all of us involved in the process to also subscribe to and respect these fundamental principles.
“The final document for registration in accordance with INEC regulations has to be signed by the national chairman, national secretary and national treasurer of each of the merging parties. Everyone committed to providing our country this new platform of change must be prepared to make the necessary sacrifice.”
We are not under pressure to stop registration - INEC
Meanwhile, the INEC yesterday said neither it nor its national chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, was under any pressure to scuttle the registration of the merging All Progressive Congress (APC).
The commission added that while the present leadership of the Commission is poised to protect its integrity and the statutory rules of engagement, it will not be stampeded or blackmailed into ignoring statutory provisions in regard of any application.
The position of INEC on the registration of the merging APC was sequel to an exclusive report by LEADERSHIP that Jega was under pressure from “high quarters” not to register the APC.
The chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, said: “Neither the INEC nor its chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, is under pressure from any quarters in the discharge of their constitutional duties – including registration of political parties.
“Be assured, sir, that the present leadership of the Commission will uncompromisingly protect its integrity and the statutory rules of engagement. It will not be pressured by anyone to register, deregister or not register any party; and neither will it be stampeded or blackmailed into ignoring statutory provisions in regard of any application. The Commission, it must be restated, will do only what is right and lawful at all times.
“Both the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic (As Amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended) prescribe specific conditions that any group seeking registration as a new political party or intending to evolve from a merger process must fulfill. INEC is a regulatory body whose duty is to make sure that applications for registration meet those conditions as applicable.”
He also said that INEC and its chairman Jega did not confide in anyone that he was under any kind of pressure because he would not allow himself to be put under any kind of pressure.
Idowu said, “He does not need to, because he will not allow himself to be pressured in the first place.
“As stated in your story, applications to INEC for registration as political parties are a purely routine operational matter, and they are treated as such in the light of guiding statutory provisions.”