APC reshapes the game

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
The formal collapse of the three legacyparties, Action Congress of
Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, and Congress for Progressive
Change, CPC, into the All Progressives Congress, APC ushers anew era
of competitive politics in the polity.
"With the approval of our merger by INEC and the emergence of APC,
today marks the beginning of a new dawn forour country and her
long-suffering people," Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the hardworking and
consistent voice of the opposition said yesterday in his first outing
as the interim national publicity secretary of the All Progressives
Congress.
Yesterday was undoubtedly a watershed and it was not surprising that
once the news emerged of the registration of the new opposition party
that there was some sort of apprehension in the national secretariat
of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Of course the PDP had for long been preparing itself for such a
possibility and its leaders had in private and public occasions been
drummed.
Mr. Tony Okeke, still trying to assert himself as the acting national
publicitysecretary of the PDP rebuffed requests for verbal reaction to
the registration of the APC.
Mr. Okeke preferred a more cautious formal statement where his words
would be well tailored and not easily misinterpreted by reporters.
Buhari, CPC; Onu,ANPP; Okorocha, APGA and Tinubu, ACN
Even while welcoming the new political party, his response was laced
with punch. He dismissed the changed opposition brand as
inconsequential to the PDP's quest for political dominance saying that
Nigerians would continue to reject the new party's penchant for
propaganda irrespective of change of name.
The decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to
register the new party was undoubtedly spiked with much intrigue. Few
days after the legacy parties – All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP,
Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN and Congress for Progressive Change,
CPC – gave notice of their intentions, other political associations
arose claiming to have forwarded letters of intent to INEC to be
registered with the same acronym as the APC.
It was a matter that dragged to the courts and is still in the courts.
However, the APC was undeterred and stuck to the scripts and put INEC
on the spot with its copious recitation of the laws on party merger.
It was thus not surprising that just after the end of the 30 day legal
latitude given the electoral management body to consider the
application for merger that the commission gave heed to the merger.
"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 said in a press statement
yesterday.
The decision was immediately welcomed by a large section of the
political class and even the PDP which through Okeke gave its
congratulations.
But besides the welcome is the immediate issue of the effect of the
registration of the party on the polity.
Mr. Okeke was dismissive of any threat from the APC. His reasoning is
apparently based on the persisting insinuation that the marriage is
that of strange bed fellows.
The suggestion of the taciturn and deeply regimented Muhammadu Buhari
partnering with the politically loquacious but master political
dealer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is still a wonder for many.
Besides, the new party also has many suspicious characters whose
presence is bound to cause apprehension.
Many of the leaders of the APC it is suspected could deal with the PDP.
Such suspicion is especially latent in the leaders of the party that
came fromthe former ANPP.
It would be recalled that in the days leading to the commencement of
the merger talks that some of the leaders of the legacy ANPP, notably
Senator Modu Ali Sheriff and Ahmed Yerima were accused of trying to
sabotage thetalks.
Senators Sheriff and Yerima who struggled over the carcass of the once
vibrant ANPP it is suspected would be loath to play second fiddle to
Tinubu and Buhari in the new party. But so far, the two men have
carried on with the same focus as other APC leaders.
Many Nigerians who have not recovered from the shock of Senator Ahmed
Yerima's advocacy for child marriage would be amazed to find thatthe
former governor of Zamfara State is one of the leaders of the party.
Even worse are recent reports that named the former Zamfara governor
asone of the possible replacements of Vice-president Namadi Sambo on
the PDP presidential ticket in 2015.
The prospects of the party had in recent times been helped by the
persistent crises in the ruling PDP.However, expectations that many of
the disaffected leaders in the PDP would change alliance to the APC
are not forthcoming. Many of the people with problems in the PDP are
not bound to find some peace with APC members who they have had
historicalproblems with.
The new party is, however, promising not to disappoint the enthusiasm
of Nigerians for a change.
"We promise not to disappoint Nigerians who have reposed much
confidence in us. We say that contrary to the lies being peddled by
the naysayers, we are not seeking politicalpower for the sake of
getting it, but in order to use it to empower our people and allow
their long-nursed hopes anddreams to become a reality," Mohammed said
yesterday.
"And to those who have vowed to change their names if APC survives for
a year, we hope they will live up to their words,'' it said.