– Ebenezer Baba Tope predicts Ominous future
Bola Ahmed Tinubu said APC would set Nigeria on an irreversible cause of change.
His words: “Once again, history is made in our country and before our very eyes.
The confirmation of the registration of the All Progressives Congress, APC, by INEC signals the commencement of a new phase in the struggle to bring true democratic change to Nigeria.
This is not just a merger. This is the first ever merger in the history of Nigeria and represents a paradigm shift in the politics of our country.
“Together we must own it. As Nigerians we see history unfold before our very eyes and we must rise up to answer the call of history to liberate our people. I congratulate all our governors, all our members from the North-East, North West, South-South, South- East, South-West and the North Central and all would-be members and well wishers of our great party, APC.”
He further said: “Today, I can say that Nigeria’s democratic journey has started on a new course and we must pursue this course religiously and rigorously. Our commitment to achieving One Man, One Vote remains resolute.
‘”We therefore must demand from INEC the full adoption of the biometric system. Prof. Jega and the Institution he leads will not achieve much and their efforts at free and fair elections will not be fruitful until they adopt a modern technologically driven biometric system that will ensure the integrity of our elections and earn the confidence of Nigeria.
“If this is done, we can then say our democracy has advanced several miles forward to join other civilized democracies in Africa. Good job, Jega and INEC. You deserve an administrative pat on the back. The real kudos will come when you work to midwife a virile democracy.
“We worked hard to ensure that our party was in good stead and in good standing with the law. Selfish interest and ego were shelved. Personal sacrifices were made particularly by those who hitherto occupied higher positions in the merging parties in the interest of moving Nigeria forward.”
Nigerians hail move
It’s a breakthrough for Nigerians-Osoba
Former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba said the registration would lead to a breakthrough in the country. “I want to congratulate Nigerians because this is a major breakthrough for their redemption.
With this registration, it is going to reduce political tension in the country because Nigerians have been yearning for an alternative to government. This time, APC is coming to lead the final redemption and survival of democracy in Nigeria.”
The battle to beat PDP has started — Moghalu
A chieftain of the APC and former National Secretary of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Mr. George Moghalu, described the registration as a welcome development for the country.
“I must say today is a happy day for our party. We are very excited about this development and it is a confirmation that opposition now has a strong platform to express itself.
This registration signifies the beginning of mobilization across the country towards our party’s clamour to wrest power from the PDP,” he said.
APC ‘ll have problems—Babatope
However, former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, a stalwart of the PDP said though the registration of APC was a welcome development, the party would run into troubled waters in due course.
His words: “The APC is a welcome addition to the list of political parties in Nigeria. I am afraid, however, that the APC will not achieve any meaningful result in its operation as a political party because the party is made up of strange bed fellows.
I am sure that the internal contradictions that will come up within the party, will eventually lead to the destruction of the party. It is not easy to run a political party.
To merge diverse interests into one sudden political group is, organizationally, a problem.
They may not realise it, but they will realise it later because the words of the elders are the words of wisdom.
The PDP is never afraid of the APC, if anything at all, the registration of APC will throw the PDP the greater challenge of ensuring that it retains the goodwill of Nigerians.”
It’s a healthy development for the polity — Kaita
Also, former Governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, commended APC leaders for achieving the feat. “That is a very good development. I congratulate the APC leaders for achieving that feat. It is a healthy development for the polity.”
It’ll create a viable opposition —Kokori
Former General Secretary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Chief Frank Kokori said: “I am happy about it because the small parties we had before now were inconsequential.
This development will create a viable opposition and it will also present a credible opposition to the ruling party. Without a viable opposition the political culture will not develop properly. With APC we are set to experience the type of party politics we had during the SDP and NRC days.
It is obtainable in civilised democracies. This is one of the greatest things I have seen. With the coming of APC there will be internal democracy and that will in turn create full democracy in PDP.”
APC is welcome — Ezeife
Former Anambra State Governor, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife said: “I congratulate the members of APC. The argument that it will take the nation back to the days of NRC and SDP does not stand, because those parties were based on ideologies, which was a little to the left and a little to the right.”
Ribadu calls for renewed commitment
A chieftain of the newly registered party and 2011 Presidential Candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, expressed joy over the emergence of the mega opposition party.
Ribadu, in a statement by his Media Aide, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, in Abuja, congratulated key players of the merged parties “for shoving their personal interests in order to allow for mutation of a pan-Nigerian party that can provide credible alternative to the ruling party”.
He charged members of the party to strive harder for the ultimate goal of dislodging the ruling PDP.
He called on Nigerians to resist manipulations of the electoral process either through whipping up religious or sectional sentiments or by the use of money, maintaining that 2015 elections would be a major litmus test for the opposition and all progressive Nigerians.
Osun APC greets Nigerian progressives
From Osun State the APC (formerly ACN) congratulated Nigerian progressives family for the final registration of the new party “in spite of spirited efforts by those in power and influence in Abuja to prevent it.”