Inspector General of police, Muhammed Abubakar
The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to investigate the alleged tussle between the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and the African People’s Congress.
A statement by Mr Osita,Okechukwu, CNPP National Publicity Secretary said the IGP should treat its call as a matter of urgent national importance.
According to him, “We are making this call in order to save the internal cohesion of INEC, our fledgling democracy and our dear country; for when two elephants fight it is the grasses that suffer. The division in the country at the moment has created enough fault lines for us to contain, therefore all hands must be on the deck to avert the looming danger inherent in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s dilemma in the registration of All Progressives Congress, APC, or African People’s Congress that goes with the same acronym.”
CNPP said it believes that the internal cohesion of INEC should be guarded jealously for efficient and effective conduct of transparent, free and fair 2015 general elections.
“The Police investigation should be conducted forthwith, especially now that INEC has not registered either of them and most importantly to assist INEC in not running foul of the law by registering a political party, promoted by another political party. For the All Progressives Congress’s promoters have severally pointed accusing fingers in the direction of the PDP as the promoters of African People’s Congress.”
“The PDP on the other hand has dissociated itself, in spite of the implication of its key members in the African People’s Congress, saying, ‘the inability of the leaders of the opposition APC to duly reserve or register the proposed name of their party before embarking on bleeping jamboree and propaganda is the hallmark of a political naivety and a foreboding that the party will drive Nigeria to socio-political and economic brink should it be entrusted with power.”
“A statement different from the congratulation message PDP dished out earlier when APC was formed on 6 February 2013; ‘We congratulate the opposition for their successful merger and the formation of the APC. This is yet another victory for our democracy. It shows that our democracy has come of age’
“In reply, APC said; ‘The name and acronym have therefore become the intellectual property of the merging parties since 6 February 2013 and it has received very wide publicity in the print and electronic media. The obvious motive of this letter is to attempt, albeit in futility, to scuttle the registration of the APC, which has been so widely publicized and well received to the discomfort of the establishment. What we see is the hand of Esu and the voice of Jacob, for INEC is aware of our existence.”
“The APC has alleged that the sponsor of the registration exercise, Mr Ikenga Ugochinyere and the acting chairman of African People’s Congress, Chief Michael O. Ikeagwuonu and a host others in the macabre dance are bona fide members of PDP up to date. In sum, as we approach 2015 general elections, the accusation and counter accusation by the All Progressives Congress {APC} and the Peoples Democratic Party {PDP} are not healthy to the internal cohesion of INEC; accordingly the police and indeed other security agencies should step-in and save INEC and our democracy,” the coalition noted.
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