From IKENNA EMEWU, Abuja
There are strong indications from insiders that by next Tuesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) might take a final step to stop the registration of merger opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC)
On Friday in Abuja, members of the APC revealed that they have been into ding-dong with INEC over registration in a manner that suggests the umpire must have made up its mind to frustrate the final step that would pronounce the body's legitimacy as a political platform.
However, leaders of the party insist that by the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended in Section 84(4), the APC would effectively and legally come into existence with full INEC backing on Monday, July 30. They say with or without a reply from INEC, 30 days after it fulfilled the requirements of submission of documents for merger requested by the Commission, it automatically comes into existence.
But the spokesman to the chairman of INEC, Mr. Kayode Idowu denied APC's insinuation. He said since there is no court order enjoining the commission not to register the merger, it cannot on its own decide not to.
Idowu noted that any position by the APC that INEC plans to stop its registration is baseless and false.
He asked: "Did the APC members also inform you that we have been in constant touch with them in correspondences and visits to the offices they indicated as their address?"
On the effective date of APC's application for merger, he asked: "Is it proper that we should take the date of application from the day APC wrote INEC for recognition in merger or on the day they furnished the commission with the necessary documents? I am sure the proper date is the one they submitted the required documents and with such date in mind, the 30 days stipulated by the Electoral Act has not expired. And even if it does, the law is also very clear that whether we write them or not, the law takes care of any ambiguity. I don't see any reason for confusion in the matter so far until the expiration of 30 days provided for by the law."
The Electoral Act in Section 84(4) provides that "On receipt of the request for merger of political parties, the Commission shall consider the request and, if the parties have fulfilled the requirements of the Constitution and this Act, approve the proposed merger and communicate its decision to the parties concerned before the expiration of 30 days from the date of the receipt of the formal request. Provided that if the Commission fails to communicate its decision within 30 days the merger shall be deemed to be effective."
APC disclosed that since its submission of application for the final pronouncement of the merger would expire on Tuesday, INEC plans to communicate the APC on Monday of its decision to hold down the registration and recognition to wait for a court order that is in anticipation.
On June 10, APC formally forwarded to INEC a letter asking for merger of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) into one platform.
The letter signed by the national chairmen, secretaries and treasurers of the three parties and headed "Request for Merger" stated that the request was consistent with Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended."
"In pursuance of our collective resolve to merge and become one political party under the name All Progressives Congress (APC), we hereby forward to you the following to support our application:
Special resolution passed by our respective National Conventions approving the merger; the proposed party symbol/logo, colours and flags inscribed in one; our proposed constitution and manifesto; list of interim national officers and their addresses and copy of INEC receipt for payment of administrative costs."
Via: Sun News Online