The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has called on the Inspector General of Police to investigate urgently the alleged linkage between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Peoples Congress, describing it as a matter of urgent national importance.
The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has called on the Inspector General of Police to investigate urgently the alleged linkage between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Peoples Congress, describing it as a matter of urgent national importance.
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In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Osita Okechukwu, CNPP said such an investigation will save the internal cohesion of the electoral commission, Nigeria’s fledgling democracy and Nigeria itself.
“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 (INEC’s) dilemma in registration of either All Progressives Congress {APC} or African Peoples Congress that goes with the same acronym,” it said.
It stressed that the internal cohesion of INEC should be guided jealously for the efficient and effective conduct of transparent, free and fair 2015 general elections as two major political parties—the PDP and APC--will contest for the soul of the country for the first time since the 1999 general elections.
Noting that promoters of the All Progressives Congress have severally pointed accusing fingers in the direction of the PDP as the promoters of African Peoples Congress, CNPP said the police investigation should be conducted right away, as the electoral commission has yet to register either of them, but also to assist the commission to avoid the illegal registration of a political party which is being promoted by another.
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Further noting that the PDP has dissociated itself from the African Peoples Congress, CNPP drew attention to the allegation of the All Progressives Congress that the sponsor of the registration exercise, Mr Ikenga Ugochinyere, the acting chairman of African Peoples Congress, Chief Michael O. Ikeagwuonu and a host of others involved in the matter are bona fide members of the PDP.
“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,” CNPP urged.
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