After months of uncertainty, the path has been finally cleared for the emergence of a formidable opposition to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the registration of the newly formed mega party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A press statement issued today in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, and signed by INEC Secretary Abdullahi A. Kaugama said:

“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.”

The announcement came a day earlier than INEC was expected to make its stand known on APC’s application for registration. The registration came four months after INEC last March declared that the party would have to change its name before it could be registered.

Speaking with newsmen on March 11, two INEC officials had claimed that another party, African Peoples Congress (APC), had already applied to the commission for registration, meaning that no other party can use the abbreviation APC.

INEC Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kayode Idowu, therefore urged the mega party to consider finding a new name and abbreviation.

On his part, Mr. Nick Dazang, another spokesman for INEC, was emphatic that the commission would not register a party with a name already approved for another.

“It is true that a group applied to register as political party with the name African People’s Congress (APC). And INEC has received the application but it is yet to sit down and work on the application,” Dazang said in a BBC Hausa programme.

APC is the product of the merger of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP).

•Photo: APC Interim Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande.

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