By JACOB KUBEKA
Ahead of the forthcoming general elections in 2019, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the registration of 21 new political parties, bringing the number of registered parties in Nigeria to 67.
A statement in Abuja by INEC National Commissioner and Member (Information & Voter Education Committee), Mrs May Agbmuche-Mbu, explained that approval for the registration of the new parties was given at the commission’s weekly meeting on Thursday .
According to the statement, the 21 associations were registered as political parties, because they had fulfilled the constitutional requirements for registration.
The new political parties are All Blending Party (ABP), All Grassroots Alliance (AGA), Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), Coalition for Change (C4C) and Freedom and Justice Party (FJP).
Also registered are Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN), Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP), Legacy Party of Nigeria (LPN), Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), Modern Democratic Party (MDP), National Interest Party (NIP) and National Rescue Mission (NRM).
New Progressive Movement (NPM), Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP), People’s Alliance for National Development and Liberty (PANDEL), People’s Trust (PT) and Providence People’s Congress (PPC) were also registered.
Also on the list are Re-Build Nigeria Party (RBNP), Restoration Party of Nigeria (RP) and Sustainable National Party (SNP).