INEC Okays 5 new political parties

By Ben Agande

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, announced the registration of five new political parties, bringing the number in the country to 45.
Announcing the decision at a late evening press briefing in Kaduna, INEC commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education, Solomon Soyebi, said the associations met the requirements for registration, while two associations, which had earlier applied for registration as political parties, voluntarily withdrew their applications.

The new associations registered as political parties by the electoral commission are Young Progressive Party, YPP; Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance, APDA; New Generation Party of Nigeria, NGPN; All Democratic People’s Movement of Nigeria, ADPMN, and Action Democratic Party, ADP. Prince Soyebi said Resident Electoral Commissioners and administrative officers received and considered submissions for the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory,  as well as reports from some accredited observers of  Continuous Voters Registration, CVR.

 He said the commission noted the challenges encountered so far and was addressing them. Soyebi said: “As at Friday, June 2, 2017, a total of 760,989 persons had registered across the country, comprising 59.5 per cent 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. “Due to budgetary constraints, the commission cannot for now decentralize to the registration area level.

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 However, due considerations shall be given certain areas with peculiar challenges. “The commission decided that, in view of the answers, for the state governorship election scheduled for November 17, 2017, the CVR will be decentralized to the registration area (ward)   level from August 10 to 16, 2017