Another party, Independent Democrat, has also
been registered.
After weeks of speculation, the Independent
National Electoral Commission on Friday
announced the registration of Peoples Democratic
Movement, a party largely believed to have links
with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The announcement came a day after Mr.
Abubakar admitted his ‘political associates’ were
behind the new party.
The electoral commission also registered another
party, the Independent Democrat, ID, raising the
total number of political parties to 25.
“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 Amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as
Amended).
“The newly registered parties are the Independent
Democrats (ID) and the Peoples Democratic
Movement (PDM),” INEC said in a statement
signed by secretary to the commission, A. C.
Ogakwu.
The statement said the constitution, manifesto,
logo/flag and list of National Executive Officers
of each parties have also been approved by the
commission.
Arriving barely two weeks after three major
opposition parties merged into one, the PDM is
seen as a potential platform for Mr. Abubakar in
2015; and appears certain to rejig Nigeria’s fast-
paced political setting ahead of 2015 elections.
The former vice president, has officially denied
being a member of the new party, although his
associates have hinted at his interest in informal
interviews.
The PDM’s interim chairman, Bashir Yusuf, also
told PREMIUM TIMES the former vice president
remained a member of the PDP.
“No, Atiku is a member of PDP,” he said.
But what would seem the clearest of hints from
the former vice president regarding his links with
the new party came Thursday in a statement
released by his media team, insisting that Mr.
Abubakar remains a member of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party, a party he helped found in
1998 from the early structures of PDM.
At the time, PDM was merely political group
pioneered by the late Shehu Yar’Adua, the elder
brother to late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
But Mr. Abubakar made it clear in the statement
that his “associates” were behind the new party,
and he had no “right or power to stop others from
associating or seeking registration for new
parties.”
“While acknowledging that many of his political
associates are involved in registering the PDM,
Atiku Abubakar explained that he had no powers
to stop adults with common interests from coming
together to form a party,” the statement said.
He however welcomed the proposed party-as it
was at the time, as “the expansion of the political
space to accommodate all shades of opinions or
political hue.”
Besides an apparent potential for the 2015
presidential election, allies of the vice president
speak of the emergence of the new party as a
guarded response to Mr. Abubakar’s increasing
alienation from the PDP.
Weeks back, Mr. Abubakar gave weight to that
concern with a protest to the leadership of the
PDP, about his treatment and the specific case of
his name missing from the delegate list for the
August 31 special convention of the PDP.
The letter, dated July 11 to the National Chairman
of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur, also complained
about the systematic withdrawal of the respects
and privileges accorded to him as a former vice
president, in line with the PDP Constitution and
sought the rectification of the mistake.
“As a bonafide member of our party, I look
forward to the respect and privileges conferred on
the Office of the Vice President and founding
fathers of the party by our party constitution,” the
former vice president wrote.
“I therefore request for a correction and
restoration of my right to attend the forthcoming
Special National Convention of our great party
and also membership of the Board of Trustees.”
If the former vice president leaves the PDP, it
would be the second time after he left in 2007 to
the defunct Action Congress.