INEC acknowledges APC’s application

The Independent Electoral Commission has acknowledged the application for registration  submitted to it by the All Progressives Congress.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, stated this in an email sent to our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday.

The Action Congress of Nigeria, Congress for Progressive Change and the All Nigeria Peoples Party are some of the parties forming the APC.

It was gathered that INEC asked the APC to submit its application and manifesto.

The merger parties, had on June 7, 2013, submitted the application to INEC.

The application was signed by the national chairmen, secretaries and treasurers of  the ACN, the ANPP and the CPC.

Idowu said the commission  sent the acknowledgment to the merger parties.

He said, “INEC has received notice of the merger. The commission has already acknowledged the notice and the acknowledgement has been sent to the parties.”

Idowu explained that the application was going through standard procedure, adding that the result would be communicated to the merger parties after the process.

Our correspondent gathered that the commission, in a letter dated June 12, 2013, had acknowledged the APC’s application.

The letter, signed by INEC’s  Secretary, Abdullahi Kaugama, asked APC to submit 35 copies of its constitution and manifesto to it.

The letter read, ‘Re-Request for Merger of the ACN, ANPP and CPC’.

“Please, refer to your letter dated June 5, 2013, and find forwarded herewith 35 copies of the Commission prescribed Form A1 for your completion and return to the Commission.

“You are therefore requested to submit the under-listed documents –

1. 35 copies of proposed constitution

2. 35 copies of proposed manifesto

3. Affidavit in support for the claim in Form PA 1;

“You may note that the Commission shall verify the proposed headquarters address and claims in the Form PA 1.

“Kindly revert to enable the Commission  to commence the process of your request.”

Form PA.1 is said to be essentially for the records of its leadership, including the executive officers and members of the party’s Board of Trustees and their addresses.

The opposition parties have yet to elect their executive officers and the members of their BoT.

The commission told the merger parties that the submission of the documents would enable it to commence processing of the application.

Based on Section 84 of the 2010 Electoral Act, the parties will know whether their merger has been approved on or before July 6, 2013.

The Electoral Act requires the commission to consider the application on or before the expiration of 30 days from the date it is received.

PUNCH