It has emerged that about three governors elected on the platform of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and former presidents have agreed to give financial backing to the newly-formed All Progressives’ Congress.
However, despite their backing the new party financially, the governors and former presidents would not remain with the PDP. It was said this was part of the resolve of some PDP leaders, who were sympathetic to the cause of the newly-formed party, to redesign their support strategy instead of the reports linking them to the rumoured mass defection from the ruling party.
It was specifically reported that while a Southern governor had pledged support for APC while remaining in the PDP for security reasons, another governor from the North-Central was said to have made a similar pledge especially as his investments in the Abuja property market are under threat.
A former Head of State and a former vice-president were also reported to have met twice leaders of the new party but with a resolution to financially support rather than join the new party.
A source within the APC that most sympathisers of the new party within the PDP were not willing to defect from the ruling party, adding that “reports of imminent defection to our party are not true.
“Most of them are afraid. They promise to support us but they are not ready to leave the PDP. They want to give us money but we are also afraid of them. We don’t want them to hijack the new party, “ the source said.
However, it has been revealed that the APC would likely face registration hurdles with the Independent National Electoral Commission over its acronym as another party, the African Progressives Congress (APC) exists on the register of the electoral body.
This will force the All Progressives’ Congress to change their acronym or risk being not registered by INEC.
Even though the said African Progressive Congress was in existence all along though some APC insiders were already crying foul, accusing the ruling PDP of being the brain behind the plot.
A furious source within the APC said that African Progressive Congress was newly-registered with the goal of denying the newly formed APC registration, accusing the INEC of working in league with the PDP.
“You know General Buhari was right when he said INEC has merged with the PDP. We are seeing the sign now. There is a grand plot to deny us registration and we will resist all attempts in that direction,” the source said.
However, former Minister of Justice, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) fired back at the insinuations of PDP plotting to stop the new party, declaring that “APC and ADC are registered political parties long before now.
“Why must they shift their problem on PDP? They should have done their home work properly by checking INEC before announcing their name. APC and ADC have always been there as registered political parties. If they did not check with INEC, is that the fault of PDP? Kayode who is also a chieftain of the PDP asked.
The former minister who described APC as “a still-birth baby” said “we are not losing sleep over them and they should face their problem instead of blaming us for their woes.
Further investigations, however, showed that APC leaders are yet to officially approach INEC with their request for registration even though it was learnt that the doubt being raised about registration hurdles emanated from the report of the registration and liaison sub-committee of the party.
The sub-committee which submitted its report last Wednesday was reported to have made preliminary contact with INEC during which the existence of African Progressive Party was discovered. It is not clear yet what the APC leaders will do if INEC finally confirms the need for them to change the name of the new party.
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