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Tag: APC

  • APC Europe mobilises for 2015

    APC Europe mobilises for 2015

    Nigerians resident in Europe have expressed their ntension

    to support the push for change in 2015. The Coordinator, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Europe, Mr. Tunde Oyeleke, said that the All Progressive Congress (APC) is the answer.

    He explained that the APC would provide quality leadership for the country.

    Oyeleke said: “Basically, all Nigerians abroad are part of the political development in the country. No matter how long they live abroad, home is still the best place and, whether we like it or not, government’s policy plays prominent role in our activities.”

    Speaking to The Nation, Oyeleke noted that, whatever affect people at home have a cumulative effect on Nigerians outside the shores. “If there is peace at home and things are conducive, we would be able to return home and contribute our quota to the development of the country.

    “Most of our people are eager to be home, to contribute to its development. So, when there is no conducive atmosphere at home, people will not want to come back home. That is why politics cannot be left alone to people at home. We must be part of the process,” he said.

    He added that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has always orgnised Nigerians abroad, using the country’s embassies as the fora.

    Oleleke stressed that the progressives, who live in Europe, and are not satisfied with what the government is doing, have decided to organise a forum where their aspirations would be met.

    “Though we started with our support for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and have mobilised the people in Europe effectively. The merger of the four political parties prompted our support for the new platform which fold is populated by the progressives. We have decided to go further to ensure that we excel in our political campaigns.”

    “We chose the APC because it is a progressive party; this is the only alternative party to what is happening in the country. In ensuring success for the APC, we will continue to use our old methods. When we had the ACN; we used to liaise with the ACN governors, particularly, the state of Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola. We have been contributing by campaigning for our people from our base in Europe. We told them what to do; these are taken from the fact that we are exposed and know what happen from the foreign perspectives. We tell them to vote the right people and the right party.”

    He maintained that the PDP and ACN have been tested in the Southwest and the people knew which one is better. “And now, with the APC coming into existence, we have been telling them that this party can be replicated at the federal level, all that they achieved at the state level would be the national level.”

    He said the APC in Europe has a large support base and could not be ignored. “In Europe, we are talking about 25 countries and I can tell you that there are lots of Nigerians, numbering up to five millions in Europe.”

    Oyeleke further said that plans were underway to ensure that those who would be part of the electoral process were not shot out from exercising their franchise.

    “Some of our people will come to Nigeria to be part of the campaign, and again some of our people who are registered will fully participate.

    “We will come down to Nigeria to be part of all elections that are very vital but the only problem we have now is that we want to organise ourselves through this forum. We equally want to get more people registered and by the time we register them our impact would be much felt.”

    “For now, a lot of people are not happy because of the type of government we have in the country, so we want to encourage these people to come down to make their impact in the electoral process. And, if you remember that these people are the ones sending money to their people all the times, they cannot ignore the calls. Once the situation at home is not okay, it will affect their purses as well.

    “If the environment is quite okay, they would be relieved of too much burden. In short, we are sort of a pressure group both within and outside, we want the best for our country and that is our mandate. In European countries, you cannot fight individually for your rights unless you come up as a group. This one will fight and defend our interests overseas and ensure that we have good government in the country,” Oyeleke said.

  • As APC comes on board

    Those truly committed to the survival of democracy in this country must have heaved a heavy sigh of relief at the registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Announcing the registration of the new party which is a coalition of three registered political parties, INEC anchored its decision on the fact that they complied with all the statutory requirements for the merger. It therefore approved the withdrawal of the registration certificates of the three parties and will in turn issue them with a single one for the APC

    Expectedly, many well-meaning Nigerians have been showering encomiums on both the INEC and the merging parties for what is largely seen as the opening up of the political space for the electorate. This is more so given the dominance of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party PDP and fears of a slide to a one party state. The current acrimony and tension in that party resulting from the ambition of contending interests is largely because of its dominance in the political affairs of the country in the absence of a strong alternative party that could pull a serious challenge at the national level.

    On account of this, internal democracy and sovereignty of the electorate have been relegated to backdoor. Though there are many registered parties, some cannot even field candidates during elections and where they manage to do so, the impact is almost zero. The very relatively strong ones have their strengths largely confined to their zones. Thus, we had been left with the PDP as the only party with the strength to prosecute national elections; deploying the power of incumbency to advantage. The matter was not helped by the continuous registration of all manner of parties seen in some quarters as a deliberate ploy to weaken the emergence of a formidable opposition to confront the ruling PDP. But all that has been substantially altered with the registration of the APC. This should be something to cheer for all those who have had their ambitions shattered by lack of accommodation in the ruling party in the absence of a viable and broad based alternative platform. There is also the higher danger posed to democracy through the dominance of the political horizon by a single party. Apart from denying the electorate the right to choice both in terms of candidates and programs, a one party state stifles new ideas and innovation. In fact, it is another name for dictatorship. And we have seen these features play out since our return to democracy. That was why the PDP had the temerity to dare Nigerians with the trash that it will rule the country for as long as it pleases them. Such a statement given the performance profile of that party must be a serious insult to the sensibilities of the electorate. But the PDP had its reasons for so doing. Then was the time when some of the parties had no visible structures in many parts of the country. And at elections, the PDP had a field day doing whatever pleases it given the absence of representatives of some parties at the polling booths. This has become a thing of the past.

    Given the way APC emerged and the political figures driving it, there is no doubt that we are in for a serious competition between the two parties.

    In the days ahead, we expect to see the PDP making frantic efforts to mend its tattered umbrella. At present, the party is deeply embroiled in serious crises with many futile efforts to resolve them. Even the most recent effort at reconciliation, has again run into serious hitch because the issues at stake are largely irreconcilable.

    Thus, the APC enjoys a lot of goodwill which must be put to advantage. The sacrifice all its promoters made to see the new party to fruition must be commended even by the most incurable antagonist.

    As heart-warming as the development is, there is a lot of work awaiting the new party. Happily, the merger arose as a protest against the undemocratic tendencies of the PDP and the desire to give the electorate an alternative platform for political action and choice.

    Every effort must be made to live up to this bidding. There have been predictions by the opposition that the new party will soon rupture on account of disputations when sharing offices. This must not be allowed to happen. Like in every human organization, there are bound to be those posturing to take advantage of the new party without due regard to all the interests in the coalition. There are some others waiting in the wings to capture its structures for their selfish interests. These must not be allowed to happen as the new party cannot afford to commence this journey with disenchantment and schism in some of its chapters. Political recruitment must be broad based and all inclusive.

    There are also critical issues of our national being that the new party must as a matter of deliberate policy balance. There is the need to reassure the various geo-political zones that their interests and sensibilities will be accommodated and protected in the new arrangement. This is pertinent in view of the raging crisis in the ruling party on which of the geo-political zones will produce the president come 2015. The APC must come out clearly on the way power has to rotate among the contending blocks in this country.

    As at now, that of the PDP has run into mud waters and stuck. The APC must reassure Nigerians that the presidency is not the exclusive preserve of any body or any part of the country as all Nigerians and sections have inalienable right to that office. It must ensure that the sensibilities and interests of all sections are placed on the table and accommodated at this initial stage of its coming into being and learn from the mistakes of the PDP. It must be seen from its actions and programs as the real alternative to the ruling party. Some of the issues that are increasingly playing up in this country and which may shape the unfolding competition are the twin issues of religion and geo-politics.

    They must be handled very carefully so as not to injure the feelings of any group or section. Happily, we are in a secular state. That secularity must not only be upheld but must be seen to be so. These are the issues the people will be looking out for and the way they are piloted in the days ahead will make the difference.

    It is therefore good a thing that the APC has come on stream despite the efforts of some phony groups to lay claim to its acronym. Those promoting all manner of groups, inventing acronyms that are similar to that of the APC were obviously at mischief. The target was to frustrate this bold and high-minded effort by three registered parties to coalesce into a single political party. The merger strikes as a landmark event in the annals of this country.

    Those who sought to frustrate it were people benefiting from the subsisting but decadent order. They must hide their faces in shame. Why the interest in the acronym APC? If they are that serious, let them pursue their vaulting ambition for national recognition through another name. After all, it is not the acronym that will win election when the time comes. All said, the registration of the APC is a thing whose time has come.

  • APC will defeat PDP in 2015, says Obende

    Senator Domingo Obende( Edo North) has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the registration of the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC) even as he predicted victory for the newest party in 2015.

    The senator also commended the leaders of the now defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and a faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) that fused into the mega-party for their patience and tenacity in ensuring the registration of the new party despite deliberate attempts by undemocratic forces to frustrate the process.

    Speaking in Benin City, Obende urged all “progressives and true democrats in the country to join forces with APC to aid the growth of our cherished democracy.”

    He said: “For too long, anti-democratic forces held us back in the quest to bequeath much -needed good governance and democratic dividend to our people.

    “But this development has shown that when a people resolve for change, no matter what opposition confronts them, they will get their way. All the opposition that greeted the resolve to register our new party was a result of the fact that anti-democratic forces have seen light in us and that we represent the hope for a better Nigeria.

     

  • APC and new energy for democratic culture

    APC and new energy for democratic culture

    What is new about APC is that it is a group of politicians from different corners
    of the country who have sworn to commit to political progressivism

    The registration of the merger of four political parties into APC must be welcome news to lovers of democracy. The coming of APC has not brought to an end the existence of mushroom political parties in the county. But it has substantially reduced the number of parties that are in serious contest for the opportunity to govern the country. After the merger, apart from APC and PDP, there will still be some political parties masquerading as contenders for federal or state power, but such possibility does not diminish the fact that Nigeria is, with the arrival of APC on the political landscape, a polity with two main political parties. We congratulate politicians who have submerged individual egos and ambitions to merge into a party that is capable of serving as an alternative to the ruling party.

    What is new about APC is not the fact that politicians from various parties and regions are making efforts to work together for the sake of Nigeria. In the first republic, the northern ruling party, NPC, worked in an alliance to rule the country with the NCNC. It was an alliance of two out of three regions. The alliance left the dominant party in the Western region in loyal opposition. It was good for the country then that there was a party known for principle and ideology to serve as loyal opposition. Our democracy would have thrived if there had been no attempts by the ruling party then to turn the country into a one-party state, and the rest is history.

    The second republic also witnessed an alliance for the sake of sharing political offices between the dominant party in the North, NPN, and its counterpart in the East, the NPP. Again, UPN, the dominant party in the West chose to serve as opposition party. Again, the democracy of the second republic did not collapse because the opposition failed in its own role. Collapse came because the ruling party was incapable of governing the country effectively. It, after ruling in an effete manner for four years, still felt that it needed to rig the election to return to power in 1983. After returning to power, it was incapable of solving most of the problems facing the country, just as it could not in its first four years, and the rest is history.

    Babangida’s military autocracy brought a new political culture to the country. Whatever was the motivation, Babangida decreed into being two political parties, best known as a-little-to-the-right and a-little-to-the-left political constructions: NRC and SDP. The existence for the first time in the country’s history of a two-party system made options easier for voters who had had to choose at least from three region-driven political parties. It may not be clear why the 1993 national election was the freest and fairest in the history of the country, but it is not too far-fetched to assume that the clear-cut ideological positions of the two parties: one besotted to nurturing the status-quo and the other committed to transformation, must have helped voters to make their choices.The country’s opportunity to move away from its troubling political past was destroyed, not by the fact of two clear choices, but by Babangida’s decision to neutralize the advantage of the two-party structure that he brought into being. It is not surprising that Babangida is visibly happy with the registration of APC. It must remind him of the opportunity that was allowed to be lost in 1993.

    To say that APC is the first experiment of its kind in the country is to indulge deliberately in hyperboles. The PDP was formed as a trans-regional political group of individuals besotted to sustaining a political culture that had not moved Nigeria forward, from the time of NPC to NPN. What is new about APC is that it is a group of politicians from different corners of the country who have sworn to commit to political progressivism. In other words,unlike the self-acclaimed national party before it, which is interested in business as usual, APC appears to be poised to engage the spirit of change, and to do it with men and women from across traditional ethnic and religious lines. The merger that creates APC means that there are two broad groups of politicians in the country: those who believe that Nigeria is okay as it is and those who believe the country needs change on many fronts.

    Progressive politics is not about the opposite of what a non-performing political party does. A new governance model requires that there are new paradigms to be created and used to change the country for the better for its citizens. Commitment to social justice and equal opportunities is fundamental to any genuine transformative agenda. Such commitment is needed to drag Nigeria from its pre-modern state to modernity. There must be some stick-in-the muds that are likely to insist that all that is needed is for the country to get a new party with men and women who are ready to work for (and not against the interests of) the masses in terms of building physical infrastructure and creating jobs. The problem that has made it impossible for Nigeria to transcend the stasis of the last five decades concerns the distribution of power in the country. More specifically, it pertains to the need to interrogate existing distribution of power in our multicultural and multi-religious ‘state-nations.’ To attempt to do this is to make effort to solve the main problem facing the country: ensuring economic, social, political, and cultural justice.

    Confronting the largest party in Africa (a political grouping that perceives itself as born-to-rule at least for sixty years!) requires the sizable energy that APC certainly possesses and appears ready to deploy. As the APC continues to mobilize and galvanize citizens around the message of change, it must continue to urge its Think-Tank to think out of the box of Nigeria’s ‘nothing-is-wrong with our constitution or the structure of governance and that all that is required is to get supermen and women among us to be president and governors.’ APC must not ignore the call for true federalism, more so if it wants to achieve a noticeable measure of economic, social, political, and cultural justice in a country constituted by many nationalities.

    The enthusiastic welcome of the news of INEC’s registration of APC, demonstrated in several cities a few hours ago, indicates the intensity of the hunger of citizens for change, not only of content but also of form. Nigeria has for too long been structured and designed as a funnel that leaks from the top or the head. Over concentration of power and resources on the central government has turned states into mendicants carrying bowls to the central government for most of the funds used to keep most of the States alive. The age of bottomless revenue from petroleum may be coming to an end sooner than we are ready to apprehend. Diversifying (without appropriate infrastructure) the economy to withstand the shock from the fact that some of the biggest buyers of our oil are now becoming some of the biggest sellers of the product that sustains us is likely to take much longer than one or two post-PDP administrations.

    A unitary model of governance that is sustained by donations to states from the central government will continue to undermine efforts to move the country forward. This appears to be the era for not only a strong central government but also for strong state governments. In other words, one of the challenges facing APC, which PDP has ignored, is readiness to pluck the courage to re-design the template of governance, to return a truly federal system to Nigeria.

  • Apc and the courage for change

    Apc and the courage for change

    A department of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reportedly attempted to delay the registration of the newly formed APC. Ultimately, good sense, courage and Professor Attahiru Jega’s integrity prevailed and the APC became a legal and political reality. I therefore reproduce below a piece published in this column on June 22, 2013

    Look at the books which I have written, the lectures which I have given, and the many speeches and statements which I have made. You will find that there is no problem confronting or about to confront Nigeria to which I have not given thought and for which I have not proffered intelligent and reasoned solutions
    – Chief Obafemi Awolowo, 3rd of July, 1979

    The above assertion was certainly no empty boast by the great sage, Awo, as he assiduously sought the country’s presidency in 1979. Reading his vast collections of writings today, one is still amazed at the extent of his industry, the depth of his research, and the enduring relevance of his proposed remedies for the protracted maladies that have laid Nigeria prostrate for over five decades. That was a statesman, politician and leader avidly committed to transformational change and who made every possible sacrifice, even if ultimately futile, to help actualize his dreams for a country he loved passionately. I want to believe that the leaders and moving spirits behind the emergent new political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) have also given serious reflection to their decision to choose ‘change’ as the party’s slogan.

    This question is pertinent because the President Goodluck Jonathan presidency along with his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) apparently flippantly flung the phrase ‘transformation agenda’ before our too easily seduced eyes in the run up to the 2011 election. Having won a pan-Nigerian mandate, neither president nor party appears, two years after, to have any inkling what transformation is about. Thus, our existential realities only steadily worsen even as they trumpet their purported accomplishments from the roof tops. Things have clearly sunk to their lowest ebb in contemporary Nigeria. Despite the undeniable progress made in many states in the present dispensation, the centre that controls the bulk of the country’s resources remains largely rudderless and clueless. And even as poverty worsens, insecurity reigns and corruption struts our highways in majestic omnipotence, we have a presidency that is completely preoccupied with 2015 to the exclusion of almost all else. Yet, the darkest period of the night also marks the gradual transition to dawn. This may thus also be the beginning, fortuitously, of Nigeria’s march towards hermanifest destiny of greatness in spite, perhaps because of, the inexcusable ineptitude of the Jonathan presidency.

    There are great expectations and immense anticipation in the air. This is perhaps the most significant moment of political alignments and realignments in Nigeria’s post-colonial history. In sharp contrast to the perfunctory and half-hearted political alliances that failed woefully in the first and second republics, the opposition seems determined this time to forge a solid full scale merger to wrest power from the behemoth at the centre. Against all odds, the merging parties have come up with a common name, common logo, common slogan, agreeable constitution and are pacing premium on coming up with a national redemption programme rather than pursuing personal political ambitions. And the obsessive ambition of President Jonathan is turning out to be a blessing in disguise for the opposition. It has split the PDP down the middle bringing it to the point of implosion. It has ruptured the National Governors Forum and, very happily for the opposition, alienated many PDP governors who may work against their party in 2015 just as they bloodied a hubristic presidency’s nose in the May 24th, NGF election clearly won by the irrepressible Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.

    But then, these are still early days yet. After all, 24 hours is a long period in politics. This is why the opposition leaders involved in the merger moves must be constantly challenged to reflect on their motives and incessantly interrogate their assumptions. This is exactly what my colleague, Mr.Olakunle Abimbola, did in his column of last Tuesday. He wanted the APC leadership to have a crystal clear idea in their minds on why exactly they want to ease the PDP out of power at the centre come 2015. If it is power for its own sake, he reasoned with characteristic incisiveness, the new party would not be much differentfrom the PDP it seeks to displace. For we all know the catchphrase of the ‘largest party in Africa’: PDP! POWER! It has monopolised power in the country since 1999 while increasing the powerlessness of Nigerians in the face of hunger, disease, ignorance, darkness and joblessness. I approach Abimbola’s concerns from a slightly different angle.

    What kind of change do the APC leaders have in mind when they advocate the need to lead the country in a different direction from the retrogressive one taken over the last 14 years? The ironic truth is that to bring about the kind of change that will fundamentally and qualitatively transform the country the way the PDP has completely failed to do, the new party at the centre must also place premium on ‘power’ a s a value. But then, I refer not to the arrogant, purposeless power associated with the PDP. No, I mean the power of self-discipline, the power of self-denial, the power of sacrifice and the power of selflessness. Let me explain.

    It will be all too tempting for a new party at the centre to want to maintain the current unhealthy asymmetrical relations between the federal and state governments. The government will be likely under the illusion that it will wield the immense powers at the centre more responsibly than the PDP has done. Nothing would be more false. Absolute power will always corrupt absolutely maybe it is the PDP in power or not. Fundamental decentralization of powers, resources and responsibilities from the centre to the states and regions is thus a necessary change that a post – PDP government must consider non-negotiable. Of course, such a federal government will take the lead in upholding the rule of law, transparency and judicial integrity to tame corruption and promote good governance.

    Again, if a post-PDP President emerges in 2015, he may be inclined to retain the dysfunctional, excessively expansive powers of the Nigerian presidency that has become a veritable albatross on the entire political system. Again, the outcome will be as disastrous as it has been under the PDP and positive change will remain pure fiction. All the nonsense of the President being the leader of a political party must go with the PDP. Critical national institutions must be relatively autonomous of the presidency. Party supremacy must hold everybody, no matter how highly placed in check while internal democracy must be the norm. To be fair to two prime movers of the APC, General Muhammed Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, they have demonstrated a remarkable willingness to forfeit selfish, personal ambition for the collective party and national interest. That is a commendable example of the power of sacrifice and self-denial.

    Furthermore, what will the APC do about the outrageous allowances, perks and salaries particularly of our law makers? That is one area where there must certainly be drastic change in the direction of greater probity and frugality. Let us heed the following words of Awo in this regard in the second republic. According to the sage on 27th January, 1980, “When the National Assembly expends so much time and energy in discussing the salaries of its members, while it does little about a reasonable minimum living wage or income for the working classes and peasants; when our parliamentarians conceive of something in the neighbourhood of N2,000.00 per month by way of salary and allowances each for themselves where the low-income group including policemen earn as low as N70.00 per month ( I don’t know how much the rank and file of the armed forces earn)…we can be sure that the end of democracy is in sight, even though, in our blinding self-seeking, we may not perceive it”. Surely, it is no easy task for the APC but the party can ill afford to dash the high hopes of Nigerians.

  • Oyo: Ex- Attorney General targets APC guber ticket

    A former Attorney-General in Oyo State, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, said he will contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket with Governor Abiola Ajimobi in 2015.

    Shittu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Thursday that he was the most qualified of all aspirants warming up for the seat.

    “I am the most qualified among the aspirants on ground now in terms of political experience. I have been actively involved in politics since 1979,” he said.

    The former governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) during the last election in the state described APC as the party to beat in 2015.

    Shittu commended Ajimobi for his tremendous achievements in infrastructure, environmental sanitation and beautification, but advised him to improve on capacity building, job creation and empowerment.

    He urged the governor to also make education accessible to the people, adding that he should declare education free at primary and secondary level.

    “In a supposedly progressive state like Oyo, one would expect education to be free.

    “It is good to build bridges and roads, but the priority should be on building human beings and their capabilities,” he said.

    He also urged the state government to improve on its youth empowerment scheme, adding that the involvement of public/private partnership would go a long way to achieve good result.

    Shittu acknowledged that the Mokola flyover built by government was a laudable project considering the benefits it would offer, but maintained that the N2.9 billion expended on it was high.

    He also called on university lecturers to suspend their strike in the interest of the students, saying the future of the nation depended solely on them.

     

  • APC: A major breakthrough for opposition

    APC: A major breakthrough for opposition

    The registration of the mega party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has set the stage for a titanic battle for power at the federal and state levels in the next general elections, reports Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU.

    The opposition delivered its new baby yesterday without com-plication. The midwife, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which provided the atmosphere for safe delivery, said that the child birth was without a prolonged labour. Its Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, also affirmed that the new platform met the requirements laid down by the constitution. This confirmation has dismissed the claim of the brains behind the unregistered rival organisation falsely laying claim to its acronym, the APC.

    The birth of the APC may have instantly changed the political calculus. The numerical strength of is senators and House of Representatives members may rob the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of a two-third majority in the National Assembly. As more PDP legislators are likely to defect to the new party, owing to the protracted crises in the ruling party, it is projected that it may ultimately become a nominal majority party in the parliament.

    The country may be heading towards a two party system, the presence of the mushroom parties merely warming the INEC register notwithstanding. In 2015, PDP and APC will clash during the historic popularity test. What will definitely shape the contest are the core issues, especially the power of ideas, manifestos, pedigrees of the flag bearers, and antecedents of the parties. Nigerians, analysts argue, would have the opportunity to choose between the party that has held sway for 14 years without resolving the challenges of nation-building and development and a platform that has not been tested with power at the centre.

    The prelude to the 2015 battle will be the governorship elections in Anambra State in November 16 and in Osun and Ekiti states next year.

    To observers, Nigeria is on the threshold of history. The leaders of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and a section of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have achieved what the giants of history and the first generation of political leaders and their lieutenants could not achieve in the First and Second republics.

    From yesterday, APC became a promising party. The enthusiasm and ecstasy cut across the political divide. As an association, it was projected as a party of ideas. Judging by the antecedents of some of its leaders, it is likely to be an ideological platform offering shades to critical progressives, who are fed up with the boring social condition. Being the product of a determined effort at forging unity and cohesion among the scattered leftist politicians canvassing an alternative route to federal power, it will also premise its intervention in national affairs on its unquestionable national outlook.

    Reality had dawned on the opposition despite its poor record in power, PDP can only be dislodged by the combined forces. The prospect of an alternative platform has ultimately rekindled the hope that the opposition can overcome the weakness imposed by their slight differences. Brimming with optimism few months ago, the former ACN National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, one of the arrowheads of the new party, submitted that, ahead of the proposed general elections, APC would be perceived as a government in waiting. His compatriot, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) of the defunct CPC also attested to its potentials, saying that the opposition can now bark and bite. The result, he said, is good governance.

    The Secretary of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Mr. Ayo Opadokun, predicted that the polity would not be the same again, with the emergence of a credible alternative platform. The chance of rigging is slim, he said, adding that democracy will be further nourished by the role of opposition in popular rule. Also, APC chieftain Senator Anie Okonkwo hailed the birth of the party, saying that it will energise the opposition and strengthen its bid for power. He said the performance of the APC governors in their respective states would persuade and convince Nigerians that a vote for the party would not be in vain.

    Tinubu has said that APC was formed in the national interest. He explained that the leaders of the merging parties decided to forfeit their platforms, sink their slight differences and make sacrifice for the country. From this declaration, it is evident that the leaders are ready to make more sacrifices, ahead of 2015.

    Many have argued that it may be difficult to accurately forecast what the future holds for the APC. The future is more challenging than the past and present. The first step to the future is that the leaders of the three parties that have wounded up should also be prepared to frontally confront the challenge of collective migration to the new fold. They must also manage the adjustment to change.

    Remarkably, following their terminal conventions, ACN, ANPP, CPC and the section of APGA onvolved in the merger never abandoned the brainstorming sessions. The eclipse of the parties heralded the setting up of the interim administrative committee for the APC. The interim leadership reflects the spread of the party across the six geo-political zones. Although the announcement generated some skirmishes, it was not essentially destabilising. What was at work was the internal crisis resolution mechanism in the fold and the mutual trust among the founding fathers. It is great lesson in party management. Conflict is part of politics, but it should not be allowed to fester to the level of becoming a threat to the existence of the organisation.

    Now that APC has come on board, how to formalise its state, local and ward structures is the next prime assignment. The inaugural national convention of the party will hold in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). There, the party will be formally presented to Nigerians. Instructively, the three defunct parties and groups that formed the APC are not equal in strength. If the leaders and members of the collapsed parties and groups retain their old identities in the new fold, APC may pale into a big party polarised by caucuses. Therefore, in setting up party leadership structures, not only are the arrowheads and their followers expected to make more sacrifices, they should also begin to build a party culture of equity, fairness and justice in matters relating to the choice of party officers.

    It will be counter-productive for the APC members to relate to the new organisation as chieftains of the old ACN, ANPP, CPC and APGA. The party should not be a party of senior and junior partners, but an organisation offering the opportunity for all members to grow, mature and advance without let and hindrances.

    Eyes are also on APC as it brainstorms on the choice of its presidential candidate and his running mate. The flag bearer will mirror the platform, its manifesto..0s, ethos, values and promise. Whoever will emerge is important, but how he emerges is more important. Without doubt, the new party faces the elementary test of internal democracy. The various positions and approaches germane to choice, selection and shadow election should be harmonised without internal bickering and bitterness. If the party puts its house in order at that level and there is no post-primary crisis, it will be fortified to forge ahead for the most critical battle.

    The task of mobilising for power shift in 2015 is critical. Many believe that the next general elections would be issue-driven. The issue-oriented campaign is the hallmark of the progressive party. Judging by the national mood, ahead of the contest, the core issues would be elevated over and above personalities. But observers also point out that the APC leaders also have an unfinished business. They need to press vigorously for more electoral reforms and insist on the sanctity of the ballot box.

    Many observers are of the opinion that the APC leaders should be vigilant. It is still a delicate moment. It is a critical stage of transition. The road to the promise land is laced with thorns. Without doubt, all the chieftains may not reach the political Canaan. Recently, it was reported that a chieftain of one of the defunct parties that subscribed to the merger had turned around to mobilise support for President Goodluck Jonathan. The PDP, which is made up of the advocates of one-party system, retention of federal power for 60 years and “operation capture 32 states”, cannot not be aloof to the threat. It will definitely bare its fangs.

    Observers contend that the ruling party may turn the heat on the APC through intimidation, harassment and blackmail. Pockets of dissention among the co-travelers should be envisaged and be properly managed within the parties in alliance to prevent the gravitation of party members to the party in power at the centre.

    What will sustain the young platform is the commitment of the merger drivers. But the political brand should always be sensitive to the machinations of its ardent enemies. To succeed, the APC family must work hard. As one of its leaders, Tinubu, has often remarked, power is not served alacarte.

  • PDP congratulates APC on registration

    PDP congratulates APC on registration

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the successful registration of the new party.

    In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Tony Okeke, the party described the birth of the APC as healthy development for the nation’s democracy.

    The statement, however, said the registration of the APC does not pose any threat to the ruling party, adding that it still maintains its pre-eminent position and enjoys acceptance across the country.

    It said: “Nigerians now expect the leaders of the opposition party to eschew all forms of bitterness and desperation and desist from politics of propaganda which characterized their former parties.

    “The PDP urges the APC leaders to focus on issues and engage in more robust debates on the economy and other issues of governance in the general interest of the country.

    “The leadership of the PDP congratulates the leadership of the APC on the successful registration of their new party. This is very healthy for our democracy.

    “We hope that from now the opposition will eschew all forms of bitterness and desperation and desist from politics of propaganda which characterized their former parties.

    “We hope to see a vibrant opposition that will constructively engage the PDP on issues of governance in a way that Nigerians will be the utmost beneficiaries, instead of overheating the polity by promoting violence and hatred among the people.”

     

     

  • INEC registers APC

    INEC registers APC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission has finally given the nod for the merger of the leading opposition parties in the country- Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

    The parties formed the All Progressives Congress in the efforts to provide a formidable challenge for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the 2015 elections.

    Following the approval, the individual certificates of the three parties involved in the merger had been withdrawn.

    The statement reads:

    “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the application by three political parties – the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) – to merge into one, to be known as the All Progressives Congress.

    “On considering the application, the Commission found that the applicant-parties have met all statutory requirements for the merger, and has accordingly granted their request.

    “Consequently, the Commission has approved the withdrawal of the individual certificates of the applicant-parties, and the issuance of a single certificate to the All Progressives Congress.”

     

  • INEC meets on APC registration on Thursday

    INEC meets on APC registration on Thursday

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will on Thursday make its position known on whether to register the All Progressives Congress (APC) or not.

    The electoral commission said it would follow compliance with the laws instead of sentiments.

    But it was learnt that INEC field officials did not see APC as a religious party, contrary to insinuations.

    According to sources, INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega and all the National Commissioners will meet on Thursday.

    Some of the National Commissioners who travelled abroad were being recalled yesterday, according to sources.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We will lay the controversy over the registration of All Progressives Congress to rest on Thursday. But INEC management will be guided by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act.

    “We will also stick to our target of making the political space as free and fair as possible to all stakeholders without partiality.

    “We are hopeful that by Thursday, most of the National Commissioners would have been around.”

    On the insinuation that the APC is a religious party, the source said: “Our officials did not find such a colouration in their assessment to brand APC a religious party.

    “If we did, we would have made our position known that we cannot register the party. We screened the list of all its national officers and nothing suggested a tilt towards any religion.”

    The source stressed that INEC’s decision would be informed by Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution and Section 78 of the Electoral Act.

    “We have been doing final assessment of the application of the APC in line with these provisions in the Constitution and the Electoral Act,” the source said.

    Section 222 of the Constitution says: “No Association by whatever name called shall function as a political party unless:

    the names and addresses of its national officers are registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission;

    b. the membership of the association is opened to every citizen of Nigeria irrespective of his place of origin, circumstance of birth, sex, religion or ethnic grouping

    c. a copy of its Constitution is registered in the principal office of INEC in such form as may be prescribed by INEC

    any alteration in its registered Constitution is also registered in the principal office of INEC within 30 days of the making of such alteration

    the name of the association, its symbol or logo does not contain any ethnic or religious connotation or give the appearance that the activities of the association are confined to a part only of the geographical area of Nigeria and

    the headquarters of the association is situated in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

    Section 78 of the Electoral Act reads: “A political association that complies with the provision of the constitution and this Act for the purposes of registration shall be registered as a political party. Provided that such application for registration as a political party shall be duly submitted to the Commission not later than six months before a general election.

    “The Commission shall, on receipt of the documents in fulfillment of the conditions stipulated by the Constitution, immediately issue the applicant with a letter of acknowledgement stating that all the necessary document has been submitted to the Commission.

    “If the association has not fulfilled all the conditions under the section, the Commission shall within 30 days from the receipt of its application notify the association in writing stating the reasons for non-registration.

    “A political association that meets the conditions stipulated in the constitution and this Act shall be registered by the Commission as a political party within 30 days from the date of receipt of the application, and if after the 30 days such association is not registered by the Commission unless the Commission informs the association to the contrary, it shall be deemed to have been registered.

    “An association which, through the submission of false or misleading information pursuant to the provisions of this section, procures a certificate of registration shall have such certificate cancelled.

    “An application for registration as a political party shall not be processed unless there is evidence of payment of administrative fee as may be fixed from time to time by the Commission.

    “The Commission shall have power to deregister political parties on the following grounds; breach of any of the requirement for registration and for failure to win a seat in the National or State Assembly election.”