THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday announced the registration of two new political parties, the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and the Independent Democrats (ID).
This came shortly after it denied the report by a national newspaper which associated the PDM with former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and nine serving governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a swift reaction, Atiku’s media adviser, Shehu Garba, dissociated his boss from the party, insisting that he remains in PDP, though “he will always welcome the expansion of the political space to accommodate all shades of opinion or political hue.”
Also, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to INEC Chairman, Kayode Idowu, had earlier denied the report of registration of any political party.
He disclosed that INEC had received applications from over 10 political groups for registration as political parties and the commission was processing the documents submitted by the groups.
He assured that it would not fail to register any one that meets its requirements for registration, stressing that the commission would also not hesitate to turn down the request of any one that fails to do so.
But the commission in a statement yesterday from the Secretary, Mrs. Chinwe Ogakwu, said: “INEC has registered two new political parties in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
“The Constitution, Manifesto, Logo/Flag and list of National Executive Officers of each party have also been approved by the Commission,” the statement added.
Idowu earlier told The Guardian that registration of political parties is an ongoing thing in the commission as established in the electoral act, adding that the commission cannot stop the registration of new parties as it will follow and implement the provisions of the electoral act in the area of registration of new political parties.
But he could not name some of the groups that have applied for registration, as well as those behind them, noted that as INEC has continued to deregister those parties that have fell short of the requirements of the electoral act, it will not fail to register those that have fulfilled the requirements of the act.
“Registration of new political parties has been an ongoing thing in the commission. We have currently received and are processing the applications of over 10 political groups that have requested to be registered as political parties.
“As the commission will continue to deregister parties that have failed the requirements of the electoral act, it will also not hesitate to registers groups that have fulfilled all the requirements for registration as political parties.
“Right now, the commission is still going through their documents and if we deem them fit to operate as political parties, they will be issued with certificates of registration,” Idowu noted.
It was gathered that one of the groups seeking for registration is led by former loyalists of late Chief of Staff during the military regime of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, Gen. Shehu Yar’ Adua, who have applied to the commission for the registration of the late general’s political group, Peoples’ Democratic Movement (PDM).
The group, which has met severally in Abuja, it was gathered, has agreed to pull out of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), arguing that the majority of members of the PDM in the PDP are currently being marginalized.