* Says PDP, ACN, CPC, ANPP have failed Nigerians
A new political party, the controversial African Peoples Congress, has been unveiled in Abuja.
The party’s major objective is “to entrench a system that is centered on the people: to reclaim our crumbling institutions and failing nation; to give Nigerians reasons to believe again.”
“After years of planning and strategizing, having fulfilled all prescribed Administrative, Constitutional/Legal requirements for registration with full acknowledgements, it is with a sense responsibility that we unveil: THE APC: AFRICAN PEOPLE’S CONGRESS,” its Protem National Chairman, Chief Onyinye Ikeagwuonu, announced on Thursday.
Its acronym, APC, is however, in conflict with that of the widely publicized but yet-to-be-registered All Progressives Congress.
Major opposition parties, namely the Action Congress of Nigeria, the Congress for Progressives Change, the All Nigeria Peoples Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance have merged, seeking registration with the Independent National Electoral Commission as APC.
But the unveiling of the APC’s logo, constitution and evidence of payment for registration as a political party with INEC may have jeopardized the merger party’s chances of being registered as a political party.
The African Peoples Congress made a letter sent to INEC available to newsmen at the ceremony, saying it has since complied with the requirements
for registration.
The new APC has a red flag with a bold star at the centre as the logo and APC as acronym.
The officials claimed to have paid the mandatory N1 million registration processing fee to INEC as well as completed form P.A.I.
While performing the symbolic exercise, Ikeagwuonu said the party is an assemblage of men of integrity with common interest and aspiration, adding that they were not ghosts.
He said: “With the unveiling of our logo today, nobody will see us again as faceless persons.”
According to him, many notable politicians are behind the new party.
But would not mention names.
The protem chairman noted that poverty of leadership since 1999 has been the bane of the country’s development, insisting that governments at the three tiers have failed woefully to rid the country of corruption.
One of the key agenda of the new party, Ikeagwuonu said, would be to embark on a downward review of the jumbo salaries of the federal legislators.
His words: “The PDP, ACN, CPC, ANPP, etc have remorselessly squandered the goodwill of Nigerians while infrastructure suffers in the states with the economy of the states wound round monthly allocations and diverted council funds.”
The party wants the Economic and Financial crimes Commission to urgently investigate state governors who own private jets.
The protem chairman spoke further: “Today, Nigerians have a party that is committed to rebuilding Nigeria.
“Nigeria needs a new political formation that would bear the torch and lead the nation out of the woods.
“From Lagos to Ogbomosho; from Ikot Ekpene to Abuja; from Sokoto to Kaduna and from Enugu to Owerri.
“For over four decades, it has been the same old story of sadistic and unconscionable recycling of the same political elements that have evidently run out of ideas on how to fix Nigeria.
“At best, they have created in themselves, individuals that place themselves way and above the country, while destroying institutions of state which are the core essence of government, upon which society thrives.
“These over-recycled forces are totally spent and without equivocation, Nigeria needs an infusion of fresh ideas, purpose-driven policies and a new generation of inspired leaders.
“Nigeria cannot keep doing the same thing and still expect change.
“We have to change the way we live and we can only achieve that by changing the way we are led.
“And to change the way we are led calls for a new political order that is a total departure from the ‘meal tickets’ of today we call political parties.
“We therefore seek to entrench a system that is centered on the people; to reclaim our crumbling institutions and failing nation; to give Nigerians reason to believe again.”
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