PDP Congratulates APC AS INEC Confirms APC’s Registration as a Political Party

 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally given the green light to the long-drawn registration saga trailing the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has confirmed its registration today in a statement by the secretary to the commission, Abdullahi A. Kugama:

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 (APC).

The statement adds that:

 “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 APC.

In another development, the Peoples Democratic Party in a statement signed by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Barr. Tony Caesar Okeke, has congratulated the leadership of the All Progressive Congress on the successful registration of their new party describing it as healthy development for the nation’s democracy.

 “The leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congratulates the leadership of the All Progressive Congress 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”, the PDP said.

Insisting that the registration of the new party poses no threat, the PDP said it “will continue to maintain its preeminent position in the polity adding that it remained the party with the widest acceptance and popularity among Nigerians across board”.

The PDP however noted that Nigerians are not deceived by the change of flag by the opposition. It said such does not remove their dictatorial tendencies and penchant for deceit and propaganda for which Nigerians have rejected them irrespective of party name.