Let be use this opportunity to correct a misconception that occasionally makes the rounds that, New PDP was part of the merger of ACN, ANPP and CPC.
It was never and indeed the New PDP joined APC in May 2014 more than nine months after the merger talks had ended and APC registered on 31, July 2013.
The parties that signed the documents actualising the Merger are ACN represented by Chief Bisi Akande (National Chairman) and Senator Lawal Shuiabu(National Secretary) ; ANPP was represented by Dr Ogbonna Onu (National Chairman) and Alhaji Tijjani Tumsha National Secretary) , and CPC was represented by Prince Tony Momoh (National Chairman) and Engr. Buba Galadima (National Secretary).
Before then the ACN, ANPP and CPC had held national conventions to ratify the merger.
CPC held it’s national convention on 11, May 2013 in Eagle Square Abuja.
The ANPP had 6,000 delegates from the 36 States and Abuja. They converged in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State, Saturday 11, May 2013 to unanimously approve the recommendation of it’s merger committee, to merge with the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN; and the Congress for Progressives Change, CPC; to form the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The motion for the merger was moved by Suleiman Argungu, former Deputy Governor of Kebbi State.
It was seconded by the party’s chairman in Cross Rivers State, Martins Bisong.
The ACN convention attended more than 4,000 delegates held on Saturday 17, May 2013 in Onikan Stadium Lagos. Officially approved the merger of the party with three others to form the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The delegates also approved the retention of the broom symbol as the APC symbol.
Although APGA and DPP took part in the merger talks they did not sign the agreement and the documents that accompanied because these two parties had fragmented into two factions.
The ACN Merger Committee include;
Chief Tom Ikimi (Chairman) , Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Governors Babatunde Fashola and Rauf Aregbesola, Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyawu, Sen. George Akume and Hon.Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
Other members were Sen. Lawal Shuaibu, Chief Audu Ogbe, Chief Achike Udenwa, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Sen. Chris Ngige, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Hadjia Rabiat Eshak, Dr. Ibrahim Y. Lame, Alhaji Yusuf Ali and Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
The CPC Merger/Alliance Committee include; Senator Mohammed Garba Gadi(Chairman).
Other members of the committee include; Senator Umaru Tanko Almakura, Professor of Virology, Tam David West.
Others are; Sabo Nanono,
Dr Haruna Yerima, Senator Hadi Sirika, Chief Okoi Obono Obla,Chief Oscar Udoji, Ife Oyedele, Osita Okechukwu, Dr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Lucy Ajayi, Air Commodore Bernard Banfa,and Engr. B. D. Lawal. (Rotimi Fashakin, Mrs Ada Obi, Abubakar Malami SAN were later appointed to join the committee).
The ANPP Merger Committee was headed by former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau.
Others include; Senator Modu
Sheriff, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam,
Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, George Moghalu, Gambo Magaji,
Emma Eneukwu among others.
On the 7, February 2013 at Thames Street Maitama, Abuja, Chief Tom Ikimi, the Chairman of the defunct ACN Merger Committee in a press statement announced that the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) have adopted a common front called All Progressive Congress (APC) and this signal the commencement of the merger talks.
The Chairman of ACN Merger Committee was Chief Tom Ikimi and the Secretary was Dr Ibrahim Lame; the Chairman of ANPP Merger Committee was Senator Ibrahim Shekarau and the Secretary was Dr George Moghalu.
The Chairman of CPC Merger Committee was Senator Mohammed Garba Gadi and the Secretary was Okoi Obono-Obla; the Chairman of APGA Merger Committee was Senator Ani Okonkwo and the Secretary was Senator Osita Izunaso and the DPP was represented by Senator Pius Ewherido.
Consequently, the Chairman of the Joint Inter Merger Committee (which was an umbrella committee formed by the parties involved in the merger talks) was Senator Ibrahim Shekarau.
The Co-Chairmen were; Chief Tom Ikimi, Senator Mohammed Garba Gadi and Senator Ani Okonkwo.
Only the Joint Inter Merger Merger Committee had the final authority on any issue about the proposed merger.
The INEC and Legal Compliance Sub Committee of the Joint Inter Merger Committee chaired by Senator George Akume had advised that they shouldn’t be part of the parties that would execute the final documents concerning the merger agreement because of fear that their other factions of APGA and DPP would challenge the legality of the agreement.
History was made on 31, July 2013 when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that it had registered the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The Secretary to INEC, Abdullahi Kaugama, in a statement said:
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the application by three political parties – the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) – to merge into one, to be known as the All Progressives Congress… On considering the application, the Commission found that the applicant-parties have met all statutory requirements for the merger, and has accordingly granted their request”.
It was the first time in the history of Nigeria that merger of political parties took place.
The APC took the country’s political scene by storm and it won a historic presidential election in March 2015.
It was the fist time an opposition political party was defeating an incumbent government.
The APC subsequently won the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections respectively.
It also won 19 governorship seats in the country out of 28 seats contested in the 2015 general elections.
In the Senate race APC won 60 seats out of 109 seats; and in the House of Representatives, it won 210 seats out of 360 seats.
In 2019, APC won 211 seats out of 360 contested.
In the Senate, APC won 63 seats out of 109 contested.
In the Governorship, APC won 15 seats out of 29 seats contested.
In 2023 general election, APC won 59 senate seats out of 109 contested for.
In the House of Representatives, APC won 160 seats out of 360 contested.
In the Governorship elections APC won 15 seats out of 30 contested.
Undoubtedly, APC at 10 is still an infant but it all has what it takes to mature faster.
However, the Party has lost its progressive appeal which saw it sweeping like a tsunami into a spectacular fashion.
As it marks it’s 10th anniversary, it is a period for sober reflection and soul searching and it must work to restore the ideals of constitutionalism, upholding democratic values, transparent and progressivism.
Congratulations to APC at 10.
Chief Obono-Obla was a co-secretary of the Joint Inter Merger Committee (February – June 2013) that negotiated the merger of APC.
Thank you for this wonderful piece. But the history of APC will not be complete without the wonderful roles great women of valor like Hajiya Ramatu Tijani, PhD played.
Hajiya Ramatu Tijani Aliyu, PhD deserve a special mention. She was not just a passive member in the party’s formation stage, but an active participant. She did a great work as a member of the party’s constitution committee. I would love the writer to take note of this detail, please. Thank you for a job well done, once again.
I just did a fact check. You are right. She and others like her who worked round the clock to give the party a facelift tried. But where are all these people now. How time flies.