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INEC Explains Refusal To Register Africa People’s Congress

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that it did not register the African People Congress (APC) as a political party because it did not meet the conditions for registration.

The INEC Director of Public Affairs, Mr Emmanuel Umenger, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that the commission’s letter to APC was unambiguous on the issue.

Umenger said that it was left for the party to prove the commission wrong.

He said: “INEC as a law obeying body, relates with stakeholders in the electoral process basically on what the law of the land says. Our relationship with the stakeholders is determined by the relevant sections of the law.

“We don’t go outside the law, INEC has premised the non-registration of APC on its inability to satisfy the requirements of section 222a of the 1999 constitution as amended.”

Umenger said that the commission also observed that there were some gaps in the form PA1 which was given to the political association.

“In our acknowledgement, 20 copies of the commission's prescribed form PA1 were forwarded to the association for completion and return to the commission with affidavit in support of the claims in the form.

“Also, we listed other requirements to include establishment of party headquarters in the FCT with proof of ownership, constitution and manifesto of the political association,’’ he said.

According to him, the requirements also include evidence of payment of registration fee, and the association’s logo.

Umenger said as far as the law was concerned, APC did not meet the conditions, therefore, the commission had rejected the application of the APC to be registered as a political party.

However, the director said that the party was at liberty to apply for registration under a new name.

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Achebe Was My Hero – Akunyili

A former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili on Sunday in Abuja  joined other prominent Nigerians to pay tribute to Prof. Chinua Achebe.

The former minister described the literary giant as her hero, adding that the death was  a great loss to the nation.

 This is contained in a statement, signed by Mr Isaac Umunna, Special Assistant (Media) to the former minister.

 ``Chinua Achebe was not only from my state Anambra, he was also one of my heroes and role models right from my days at the University of Nigeria Nsukka where he taught.

``I therefore feel a deep sense of personal loss by his death. It is like losing a part of me.

``Prof. Achebe’s death leaves a void not only in Nigeria and Africa but globally because he is one of the best novelist the world has ever produced,” she said.

The former minister said that Achebe would be greatly missed, adding that  Nigerians and indeed, the world should take solace in the rich legacies that he left behind.

Achebe, described by his admirers as the ``Eagle on Iroko'' is best known for his novel, `Things Fall Apart’.

Until his death, Achebe served as a professor at Brown University in the U.S. He died on March 21, at the age of 82 years. 

 

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