New political platform, APDA, emerges in Abuja

• Nwanyanwu says it will bring economic relief
• Makarfi-led PDP faction denies link with new party
A new political platform, Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), has emerged in Abuja yesterday.

It was learnt that the new platform has the backing of many People’s Democratic Party (PDP) kingpins who had been seeking alternative platform to the Ali Modu Sheriff-led PDP.

At the venue of the unveiling of the party, apart from Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who entered the hall and took a back seat, no notable member of the PDP was sighted.

Dokpesi, who did not utter a word throughout the ceremony, is said to be very keen in the new party.

Also, a former National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Dan Nwanyanwu, who openly declared support for the new political party, said it would not only open the political space but will promote equity and justice among Nigerians.

Nwanyanwu said the formation of the new party was borne out of patriotic desire to give Nigeria a truly progressive party.

“APDA, as a social democratic movement, has a single purpose and mission of ensuring that every Nigerian, no matter creed, culture, learning and social grouping, would have equal and unfettered access to all accruing dividends of citizenship,” Nwanyanwu stated.

Meanwhile, the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the PDP yesterday said it had not formed any new political party.

The reaction came on the heels of reports that a new political platform, APDA, was unveiled in Abuja.

A statement issued by spokesman of the faction, Dayo Adeyeye, declared that the PDP had no link with the new party.

The statement reads, among others: “For the avoidance of doubt, we reiterate once again that we are not in any way associated with the new party in any form or guise. The APDA is neither an offshoot of the PDP nor its alter ego as some are speculating.”

A special feature of the new party, according to the former LP boss, is that it provides for a level-playing field for all its members irrespective of gender, religion, region or ethnicity.

APDA’s Interim National Chairman, Kabiru Shittu, said the party would embrace internal democracy where party candidates would be elected through direct primaries.

Shittu said that 25 per cent of elective positions in the party would be reserved for youths, while the women and physically-challenged would get 30 and five per cent respectively.

He said:” APDA is an actualisation of the fundamental human rights of Nigerians to determine their national destiny. It is also in recognition of the general hopelessness brought upon the people by mal-administration and the urgent necessity to give Nigerians fresh opportunities and new platforms to re-direct their electoral mandate to a dependable, committed and capable generation of leaders ahead of the 2019 general elections.”

The interim chairman, who stated that the new party is an independent political association, said that all due processes dictated by the constitution had been met in the registration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).