TheNewsGuru

Tag: Political Party

  • 2019: No one political party dominates Coalition of Parties – NIM

    2019: No one political party dominates Coalition of Parties – NIM

    The Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM) has clarified that the recently inaugurated Political Grand Alliance named CUPP (Coalition of United Political Parties) was a culmination of NIM’s Initiative towards ensuring ultimate better governance of the country from May 29, 2019.

    In a Press Statement released following its Expanded Steering Committee Meeting at the weekend in Lagos, the movement debunks the notion being mischievously peddled that one of the political parties that make up the Alliance, actually initiated CUPP with the intent of surreptitiously controlling all other parties in CUPP.

    Reminding Nigerians that NIM was essentially the only member of the Alliance without a political party affiliation for now, Co-Chairman Olisa Agbakoba pointed out, “NIM’s modus operandi, ab iniitio, has been to initiate a united electoral alliance of like-minded groups, individuals and parties towards achieving a New Nigeria via the ballot box come 2019.

    So, NIM is working hard to bring more parties, including, People’s Trust, PT, our own brand new political platform into the Coalition and to end any further misperception regarding CUPP’s purpose and relevance in ensuring that Nigeria does not become a failed state where genocidal actions, brazen impunity and socio economic retrogression are the norm!”

    Continuing in same vein, NIM Co-Chairman Tafawa Balewa, noted that, “now we’ve all come together, against all odds to create a formidable political alliance, we are not surprised at the vicious propaganda being deployed against CUPP. But, come 2019, we quite assured CUPP shall be victorious Ludorum!”

  • 2019: IBB dumps PDP, declares support for rival political party

    Former Military President and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB) on Sunday shocked many when he openly declared support for the the Social Democratic Party (SDP) led by former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Olu Falae.

    Speaking in Minna over the weekend when the National Leadership of the Party, led by its Natiional Chairman, Chief Olu Falae visited him at his hill-top mansion in Minna, Babangida said that the Party is real and smart with the zeal to deliver democratic dividends to the people.

    “If I hadn’t being too old, I would have loved to join the youths vanguard of your party. I have faith in the political party, for what it is and what it stand for. When I heard in the news that a party has come on board, the first thing that occurred to me was that the name sound familiar, so I made a decision that I will wait and see how it plays out, I was looking at how SDP will populate itself. And then the next pleasing thing that I heard was that it has people like Olu Falae, Professor Jerry Gana, Professor Adeniran.

    “After that I said this party is real, because most of the names are names that I have known and I have worked with and for the sake of this country, so I said the party is smart to convinced all these gentlemen to come and join them. That is why I did not hesitate to give direction to those who came me to seek advice on which direction to go.”

    Babangida pointed out that the vision he had for the country is the same vision that is shared by those driving the party, adding that, “the security and well being of Nigerians is very important and you have identified this in your programme so Nigerians must rally round you and support you to ensure that this is realizable”.

    Babangida urged the younger generation and women to give their support to SDP as it is “populated by men of integrity, men who when they work, they work well, when they speak, they speak well.”

    Babangida then advised the leadership of the party to make it manifestos public to Nigerians so that they can be hold accountable, “You must tell Nigerians what you intend to do for them because this is very important. The people must know if we vote SDP what do we expect so that it become politics of issues not politics of insult and name calling”.

    In his address earlier, the National Chairman of the Party, Chief Olu Falae said that they were in the state to see General Babangida as part of the Party’s nationwide consultation to brief him on the activities of the party and to solicit for his support and wise counseling.

    Falae said that SDP is a child of necessity, born out of the desire to rescue the country from the present decay in every sphere of lives, “When I was approached to accept all the Progressives who have been frustrated from different political parties to come together to form a formidable team to rescue Nigeria, I readily agreed because this country must be rescued from the present state of corruption and inpunity.”

    Falae lamented that the situation of the nation is becoming worse and needs to be addressed adding that the Fulani herdsmen menace needs to be immediately addressed.

    “Since this present government came on board, the Herdsmen seems to think that they now own Nigeria, and it is a lie, there arms must be taken away from them, their minds must be disabused and while doing that, provision must be made for them to be able to do their business legitimately so that the rest of us can also do our farming business as well because both agriculture and animal husbandry are good to the country economy.

    “Nigeria as a country is passing through a terrible time, the present government talks about fighting corruption all the time but corruption today is worst than it was in the immediate past. “

    He gave the assurance that when SDP takes over the government in 2019, they will reduce corruption to the nearest minimum, “Corruption can be fought if we the leaders genuinely embrace transparency not what we are seeing today.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the acclaimed winner of the 1993 Presidential elections, Chief MKO Abiola which was annulled by the then military president, Babangida contested on the platform of the SDP.

     

  • 2019: INEC pledges to sanction erring political parties, election defaulters

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will sanction any political party, individual or corporate organisation that commits electoral offence during the 2019 general elections.

    Francis Ezeonu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo, said this at a sensitisation meeting of stakeholders with Imo INEC management on Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) held in Mbaitoli and Owerri North local government areas.

    Mr Ezeonu said Section 94 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) stipulated guidelines for the conduct of primaries, electoral campaigns by political parties and behaviours of party faithful and stakeholders during elections.

    He added that the same Electoral Act frowned at imposition of candidates, use of masquerades and any form of weapon, hate speeches, as well as campaigning in churches, mosques and public offices.

    “We will monitor political parties to avoid anarchy. If after primaries anyone is denied his/her position, INEC will not be party to it and will intervene. It will also sanction defaulting party.

    “The guideline is also against the use of thugs, private militia and vanguards on campaign grounds.”

    The REC said the commission would use Resident Area Camp (RAC) to ensure that election materias were deployed to polling units on time.

    He urged stakeholders to cooperate with the commission by creating an enabling environment to deploy the RACs, as well as provide security at RAC areas so that INEC’s property would not be vandalised.

    The Electoral Officer (EO) in Mbaitoli Local Government Area, Ngozi Odilinye, said the forum was special as it offered political parties, town unions, women and youth leaders, and other stakeholders opportunity to interact with one another and with INEC management in Imo.

    She said the local government area registered 122,555 voters during the 2014/2015 registration, adding that till date, 22,333 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were yet to be collected.

    Ms Odilinye noted that the commission had since April 2017, embarked on nationwide CVR, including the correction of wrong particulars of voters, reprinting of omitted voter cards, lost and defaced cards and processing of voters’ data for inter and intra state transfer.

    Former Chairman of Federal Electoral Panel, Donatus Agogbuo, said money politics was no longer in vogue and urged INEC to ensure the implementation of its promises to restore sanity to the electoral system.

    The electoral stakeholders had complained of registration of more parties by the commission and the siting of INEC offices in local councils.

    They appealed to INEC to ensure credible election that would help in restoring sanity in Nigeria as it relates to election.

    Samuel Ohiri, a traditional ruler in Mbaitoli and Chairman, Imo Traditional Rulers, commended INEC for the sensitisation, saying it was the first of its kind in the history of Imo.

    He, however, expressed regret that there was high level of voter apathy in Imo, especially among youths, stressing the need for positive change of attitude.

    Participants at the meeting included traditional rulers of the various communities, party faithful, women, youth and town union leaders and the clergy.

  • KOWA party advocates legislation for political party registration

    KOWA party advocates legislation for political party registration

    The KOWA Party has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to approach the National Assembly for a legislation for political party registration.

    Mr Mark Adebayo, the National Secretary of KOWA, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday that it was unrealistic for INEC to continue to register more parties on daily basis.

    According to him, I do not think we should have more than 10 political parties in this country.

    “We in KOWA strongly think that INEC cannot continue registering political parties; asides the fact that it is too expensive for the commission to go round the 36 states and FCT to monitor party congresses, it is unrealistic to have 52 political parties.

    “Also, about 100 have so far applied for registration, we cannot continue like this. There has to be a way to limit the number of political parties in the country.

    “There is urgent need for INEC to approach the National Assembly, there has to be a legislation on the present number of political parties that we have,’’ Adebayo said.

    The scribe said that proliferation of political parties was the reason manifestoes of almost all the parties were alike saying it has become just a `written verbatim’.

    He urged INEC to set minimum standards for registration of political parties disagreeing with a situation whereby political parties met requirements of law, gets registered and go home to sleep.

    “Political realities are different from freedom of association; your freedom of association should not lead you to having parties that you will not be able to monitor or sustain.

    “You are free to associate, but every family or street does not need to form a political party. It will destroy our democracy,’’ he said.

    The KOWA scribe however, suggested the need for INEC to introduce a pamphlet that would carry names of all registered political parties instead of going to print a long ballot paper that could lead to voter apathy.

    According to him, there has to be a way for people to spend the barest minimum time at the polling booth.

    NAN reports that there are 68 registered political parties in Nigeria at present.

    More associations have applied to INEC to be registered as political parties.

     

  • 2019: INEC registers new political party

    2019: INEC registers new political party

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has registered another political party, African People’s Party, bringing the number of parties to 46.

    INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said in Abuja at the swearing-in of new nine Residents Electoral Commissioners, at the commission’s headquarter on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Yakubu said that the party was on Tuesday issued Certificate of Registration in compliance with a court order.

    He said that APP originally applied for registration as a political party in 2014.

    Yakubu said that the commission had so far registered 2,092,434 new registrants under the on-going nationwide Continuous Voter Registration.

    “At the end of the first quarter of the exercise, some 1,810,153 citizens were registered.

    “The exercise is now in the second week of the second quarter and already some 282,281 citizens have been registered, making a total of 2,092,434 new registrants so far,” he added.

    Yakubu, congratulated the newly sworn-in nine RECs.

    He said that their assumption of duty came at an auspicious time, at exactly 548 days to the 2019 General Elections, and after the conclusion of the Commission’s Strategic Plan 2017-2021.

    He advised them to be fair to all, partisan to none, saying that as election managers, they would be responsible for the implementation of the plan.

    “As election managers, you must maintain the required openness and consultation.

    “At the same time, you must be very firm and courageous on the side of the law as well as our regulations and guidelines as required of you as unbiased umpire.

    “Be fair to all, partisan to none.’’

    Yakubu said that as new appointees, they would be immediately deployed to field orientation in the four elections to be conducted by the commission over the next few weeks.

    The elections according to him were; Dukku North State Constituency by-election in Gombe State , the Eti Osa I State Constituency in Lagos State and Kware/Wamakko Federal Constituency in Sokoto State.

    Also included was the Anambra State Governorship election scheduled for Nov. 18.

    Mr Mike Igini, one of the newly sworn-in RECs, who responded on behalf of others pledged that they would be guided by the mission and core values of INEC.

    He added that the discharge of their duties would be guided by integrity and all other core values that guide their works at the states.

    The new RECs also included Mrs Asman Maikudi, Sam Olumekun, Prof. Riskuwa Shehu, Mr Kassim Geidam, Mr. Jubrin Zarewa, Mr Abdulganiyu Raji, Prof. Sam Egwu, and Mallam Sudiq Musa.

     

    NAN

  • JUST IN: 2019: INEC registers 5 new political parties

    JUST IN: 2019: INEC registers 5 new political parties

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday announced the registration of five new political parties ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    Mr Adedeji Soyebi, INEC’s Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, made this known at the end of the commission’s meeting in Kaduna.

    The new political parties, according to Soyebi, are Young Progressive Party (YPP), Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), New Generation Party of Nigeria (NGP), All Democratic Peoples Movement (ADPM) and Action Democratic Party (ADP).

    This brings to 45, the number of registered political parties in the country.

    “At present, 95 associations have applied to the commission for registration as political parties. Two of the associations voluntarily withdrew their applications.

    “The commission today approved the applications of five of the associations which have fulfilled the constitutional requirements for registration,” Soyebi said.

    On ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), which began on April 27, he said that no fewer than 760,989 voters had so far been registered nationwide.

    He explained that the figure was made up of 59.5 per cent of males and 40.5 per cent, females.

    “So far, 31,808 persons have collected their PVCs while 34, 560 others applied for transfer of Polling Units.”

    He said that due to budgetary constraints, INEC could not currently decentralize the voter registration to the Registration Area level, adding, however, that due consideration would be given to certain areas with peculiar challenges.

    Soyebi stated that the commission had noted the challenges encountered so far, and was addressing them.

    In view of the Anambra governorship election scheduled for Nov. 17, Soyebi said that the CVR would be decentralized to the Registration Area (Ward) level from Aug. 10 to Aug. 16.

    He added that the same consideration, at the appropriate time, would be given to Ekiti and Osun ahead of governorship elections in the states in 2018.