The Alliance for Democracy (AD) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against merging the party with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) ahead of the 2011 general elections.
The party, in a statement issued by its Acting National Chairman, Rev. Okechukwu C. Obioha, called on the Executive, Judiciary, Legislature and other major stakeholders to intervene, warning that preventing the AD from fielding candidates could have negative implications for Nigeria’s democratic process.
Obioha, while explaining the controversy surrounding the alleged merger, traced the development to the party’s National Convention held on September 23, 2010.
According to him, a motion was moved at the convention by some former executives of the party seeking a merger between the AD and ACN, but the proposal was overwhelmingly rejected by members.
He identified those who allegedly moved the motion as the National Chairman, Chief Michael Koleosho; Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Musa Umar; National Secretary, Administration, Alhaji Magaji Kwaranga; and South-West Zonal Chairman, Rev. Tunji Adebiyi.
The Acting National Chairman said that following the rejection of the proposed merger, members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) present at the convention appointed the National Vice Chairman, South-East, as Acting National Chairman pending the election of a substantive chairman at another convention.
He said the party subsequently communicated the resolution to INEC in a letter dated September 27, 2010.
However, Obioha alleged that those behind the rejected merger proposal later wrote another letter to INEC on October 5, 2010, informing the commission of a merger or fusion between the AD and ACN and requesting that the AD logo be removed from the ballot papers for the 2011 general elections.
He said the development had created uncertainty among the party’s candidates, who, according to him, had become increasingly frustrated since December 2010.
“Our candidates have become jittery since December 2010 and are now frustrated. They do not want to see AD contest election because they have concluded that it will weaken the chances of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) greatly,” Obioha said.
He further alleged that the AD had been unable to obtain INEC Forms CF001 and CF002 for its candidates since December 15, 2010.
Obioha therefore appealed to the Executive, Judiciary, Legislature and other stakeholders to intervene and compel INEC, particularly its official Regina Omo-Agege, to release the forms to the party.
The AD also called for the removal of Omo-Agege from her position, alleging that her continued stay in office could cause what it described as “serious damage” to Nigeria’s democratic process.
The party maintained that it remained committed to participating in the 2011 general elections and urged relevant authorities to ensure that its candidates were allowed to exercise their constitutional rights to contest.
