A month after the registration of the All Progressives Congress (APC), two more parties have been confirmed as registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC): the Independent Democrats (ID) and the Peoples’ Democratic Movement (PDM) believed to be promoted by former vice president Atiku Abubakar’s associates.
Ironically, this came just a day after PDM denied reports attributed to Atiku and nine Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors that they had filed an application to register a new party.
Atiku had said he remained a member of the PDP but would not stop his political associates from registering a party.
In a statement by INEC National Secretary Mrs Augusta Chinwe Ogakwu, the commission said the parties were registered in consonance with the provisions of Nigeria’s constitution and Electoral Act, and that the constitution, manifesto, logo/flag and list of national executive officers of both parties were certified by the commission.
The statement read: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has registered two new political parties in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as mended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as Amended).
“The newly registered parties are the Independent Democrats (ID) and the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).
“The Constitution, Manifesto, Logo/Flag and list of National Executive Officers of each party have also been approved by the Commission.”
It was learnt that the new parties submitted their application to be registered sometime in April. At the time of filing this report, little was known of the ID leadership, while some sources told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the interim chairman of the PDM is Bashir Yusuf. Several calls put to his phone line were not picked and he did not reply to a text message sent to his phone.
The registration of the new parties came barely two weeks after a Federal High Court faulted INEC’s deregistration of 28 political parties. Citing that it was empowered by the national constitutional to deregister political parties, INEC had, after the 2011 general elections, deregistered the parties for failing to, at least, win a seat in the state or national assemblies.
However, reacting to the decision to register the two new parties, the chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, said the commission was only implementing the provision of the constitution and Electoral Act.
He said: “It is a question of the law. The constitution and Electoral Act provide the conditions under which a political group can be registered as a party. When they are fulfilled, INEC is obliged to register because it is the law. It is not about INEC being preferential; it is all about the provisions of the law. However, the law also provides conditions under which a registered party can be deregistered. So INEC did not write the law; it only implements the law. Since these are the provisions of the law they are there to be implemented.”
The leadership of PDM is led by the interim national chairman, Alhaji Bashiru Yusuf Ibrahim, national secretary Dr Joseph O. Akinwunmi, national treasurer Mr Gagogo Emmanuel, national financial secretary Mrs Aku Cecilia Betzon, and national legal adviser Barrister Kabiru Umaru Dodo. The party’s national secretariat is located on 72 Mississippi Street, Maitama, Abuja.
Ibrahim, who spoke on the vision and programmes of the PDM last night, noted that its “registration is a good development. We have been trying to register it since 1994, but the military government of that time stood in the way. Politics in Nigeria will never be the same again. PDM is the real alternative Nigerians are waiting for because I have no doubt in my mind that it will change the present decadent order and try to fix Nigeria for all of us — not for sections, religion or tribe but for all of us. Most of all, Nigerian youths, women and the under-privileged can now have a party on which they can depend. We will invest in the future of Nigeria through our women, youths and the under-privileged who need the Nigerian state to be there for them”.
The Independent Democrats, which has its national secretariat at 1,385C Gurara Street, off IBB Way, Maitama, Abuja, has as its interim national chairman Mr Edozie Madu; secretary, Tobi Adeniyi; national treasurer, Ahanmisi Izegwuma Abigail; Whetode Desire, national financial secretary; and Mr Charles Ibeh, legal adviser.
In a statement by spokesman Garba Shehu, he said the former vice president is open to the idea of creating more space to accommodate all shades and opinions in politics. He said: “While admitting that many of his political associates are involved in the registering the PDM, Atiku Abubakar explained that he had no powers to stop adults with common interests from coming together to form a party.”
He also noted that many of his political associates were equally members of political parties other than the PDP, adding that freedom of association, as enshrined in the constitution, was the beauty of democracy.
Atiku expressed his loyalty to the ruling PDP and that his supporters are free to leave the PDP if they wish.
Interim National Officers
Peoples Democratic Movement
1 Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim – Chairman
2 Dr. Joseph .O. Akinwumi – Secretary
3 Mr. Gagogo Emmanuel – Treasurer
4 Mrs. Aku Cecilla Betzom – Financial Sec.
5 Barr. Kabiru Dodo – Legal Adviser
Independent Democrats
1 Edozie Madu – Chairman
2 Tobi Adeniyi – Secretary
3 Ahanmisi Izegwuma Abigail – Treasurer
4 Whetode Desire – Financial Sec.
5 Barr. Charles Ibeh – Legal Adviser
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