The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday said the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) was included in the membership of the newly formed All Progressive Congress (APC) in good faith based on available information and prevailing circumstances, rather than a deliberate act to mislead Nigerians or railroad APGA into the merger.

National publicity secretary of ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement reacting to APGA's disclaimer of the APC, said the new party has absolute respect for the rights of individuals or groups on whether or not to associate within a democracy.

He said APGA was included in the list of parties that consummated the merger, as the person and status of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo has been a great player and figure in Nigerian political landscape, and also Senator Annie Okonkwo, a seasoned politician and respectable lawmaker cannot be ignored.

"We believe in their representation that APGA is interested in the merger, hence we worked with them in good faith. They participated effectively and positively in the meeting of all governors of the parties concerned and in the meetings of the merger committees of the parties, leading to the communique released by all the governors endorsing the merger and the one by the merger committees announcing the formation of the APC," Mohammed said.