Senators under the platform of the newly registered All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday wrote the Senate to formally inform their colleagues of the founding of the coalition party.
Senate President, David Mark read the letter, titled Notification of the Registration of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Status of Senators of the Merged Political Parties to the rest of the chamber.
In the letter, Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator George Akume drew the attention of the Senate to Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which provides for the right to peaceful assembly and association.
He further highlighted Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), which lists the conditions for merger of political parties.
“In a bid to build a strong, virile and enduring democracy, the three major progressive political parties — the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) — resolved to merge and become the All Progressive Congress (APC),” he wrote.
“In furtherance to the provisions of Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), a formal request for the registration of APC was sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on June, 7, 2013. INEC accordingly granted the request on July 30 to give the birth to the APC.
