The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to allegations from opposition parties that it changed its slogan from “change” to “progress.”
Recall that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had on Monday accused the APC of illegally adopting its slogan, “progress.”
The National Secretary of the party, Shehu Gabam, who made the accusation during a press conference in Abuja, explained that investigations showed that only his party registered “progress” as its slogan.
He said all political parties were asked to inform the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of their slogan registration.
Mr Gabam urged the APC to stop trying to ‘confuse’ the electorate ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“A riding horse, which is the SDP logo, symbolises progress. A broom does not symbolise progress,” he said.
He added that the SDP had reported the APC to INEC.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also alleged that the ruling party changed its slogan.
The PDP said the alleged plan to change the slogan was a “direct insult on the intelligence of Nigerians and the worst form of deceit from a failed political party that had brought nothing but hunger, afflictions and daily bloodletting to the nation.”
However, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Bolaji Abdullahi, in a telephone interview with Premium Times denied the allegation.
He said the APC would have to amend its constitution if it planned to change its slogan.
“The slogan of the party is constitutional. In the APC constitution, it is registered there that our slogan is ‘change’ and we have not amended our constitution.
“The fact that you say ‘APC’ and people respond with ‘movement’ or ‘progress’ or ‘forward’, doesn’t mean we have changed our slogan.
“You can’t change the slogan of a party by word of mouth, you have to amend the constitution. All that talk is just ignorant talk from them (PDP, SDP),” he said.
