The formal collapse of the three legacy parties, Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, and Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, into the All Progressives Congress, APC ushers a new era of competitive politics in the polity.

WILL the All Progressives Congress (APC) be registered as a political party tomorrow or will the leaders be asked to return to the drawing board and come up with a new name and other paraphernalia? These are some of the questions that are expected to be answered tomorrow by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) says the All Progressives Congress (APC) has met all the requirements to consummate its merger, hence INEC has no defensible reason not to approve the merger.

ALL Progressive Congress, APC, has vowed to occupy all public places including the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Abuja, the Federal Capital, and the National Assembly if after July 31, the electoral umpire refuses to register it as a political party.

Solomon Edebiri contested the 2012 governorship election on the platform of All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, in Edo State. His party is teaming up with other parties to form the now All Progressives Congress, APC, for the forthcoming elections. In this interview, he says the emergence of APC is good for Nigeria, democracy and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, controlled Federal Government even as he returns to the drawing board for the 2016 governorship election in Edo State. Excerpt: