New political group says it’ll build and safeguard open society.

The African Peoples Congress made a major push in its quest for registration as a political party as it opened its national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

The political association also launched its logo and emblem of red and white colours at an elaborate ceremony at the new secretariat located at LEADERSHIP HOUSE, Plot 983 Ahmadu Bello Way, opposite Apo Legislative Quarters, Garki District of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

The group has been engaged in a battle over the acronym, APC, with the All Progressives Congress, the product of the merger talks of four opposition parties – Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, and All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.

With the development, it appears the All Progressives Congress may have to shop for another name or acronym with some sources saying it is already considering renaming the group, the All Democrats Congress, ADC.

The All Progressives Congress has, however, insisted it will not change its name.

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The protem National Chairman of the African Peoples Congress, Onyinye Ikeagwuonu, said at the ceremony that the group “exists to build and safeguard a free, fair and open society in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community and in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.”

In the speech titled, “Breaking the Axis of Evil” the chairman accused the major political parties in the country, including the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of remorselessly squandering the goodwill of Nigerians while the country burns.

“For over a decade now, Nigerians have entrusted their political fortunes largely in the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party, Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, Congress for Progressive Change and other politicians who have shown a resounding emptiness of character clearly unfit for any kind of leadership,” he said.

He added, “While infrastructure suffers in the states, with the economy of the states wound around monthly allocations and diverted council funds, the governors of the PDP shuttle across the globe in private jets that further diminish the resources of their states, leaving the people to bear the brunt.”

Mr. Ikeagwuonu asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to immediately commence investigation into the source of funds used to purchase the private jets by these public officers.

He said that apart from Lagos State which Babatunde Fashola governs, “other ACN states are mere shadow states and ghost towns where their chief executives are just sounding off while still groping in the dark, years after being elected into office.”

The protem secretary stressed that “PDP, ACN and ANPP can best be likened to the dance of the penguins- one step forward, two steps backward -and the woes of our country continue to evolve from bad to worse.”

Mr. Ikeagwonu, who said APC had already paid the mandatory N1 million registration fee to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), displayed copies of two receipts it paid for registration alongside a letter from the commission forwarding to it 20 copies of Form PA 1 for completion.