Nwanyanwu, Kabiru, others unveil new party in Abuja

…Say no room for recycling of old politicians

The nation’s political space was on Monday widened with the formal unveiling of a new political party, Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA), in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The party was unveiled by an erstwhile National Chairman of the Labour Party and lawyer, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu.

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Chairman emeritus of DAAR Communication, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who was present at the unveiling ceremony of the new party, however denied being involved in the party.

While explaining the rationale behind the new party, Nwanyanwu stated that it was the desire to give Nigeria a truly progressive party, stressing that that most of the existing political parties, which pride themselves as progressives, are at best reactionary elements.

In the words of Nwanyanwu, “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.”

The former National Chairman of LP promised that the APDA will provide a level playing field for all members of the party.

He assured that in the new party, the office of president will rotate between the North and South, with all the geo-political zones talking turns to produce a President for the country.

The governorship and local government chairmanship positions, he stated, will also rotate among the three senatorial zones in states and wards.

He said, “So many of the established political parties appear to be fixated with recycling the same old leaders, repeating the same old rhetoric and reabsorbing the same old moribund way of doing things.

“As against this new order, most existing Nigerian political parties are fixated and set in these old ways thus becoming a cul-de-sac of strange bedfellows with even more estranged ideologies, the only point of convergence being the conquest of power and the sharing of the bounties of such conquest.

“Similarly, most of the political parties in existence today conveniently attach “progressive” to their names when indeed they are reactionary political parties in content and character or at best ultra conservative political parties,” Nwanyanwu said.

He further explained that the political party that was unveiled yesterday would address fundamental issues that would unite the nation.

According to him, “the political party I am unveiling today (yesterday) on behalf of all of us is ideologically roofed and seeks to address all the fundamental issues that will keep Nigerians united with every citizen having a sense of equality, justice, protection, belonging and fair play.”

Earlier in his address, the interim National Chairman of the party, Mallam Shitu Mohammed Kabiru promised that if APDA is elected into office, it would give the nation a new beginning.

Kabiru explained that 25 per cent of elective positions in the party will be reserved for the youths, while the women and physically challenged will get 30 and five per cent respectively.

His words: “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.

“Our priority is to fight unemployment and ensure that our societies and markets become fairer. We are determined to restore the hope and trust of Nigerians for the future of our country.

“We have identified the decadent culture of past party politics, the sit-tight arrogance, despotism and looting propensity of our politicians resulting in marginalisation of the masses of this country from the democratic process as the major causes of the constant reversal and negation of the popular will and aspirations for a Nigeria that reflects their dreams of the Promised Land,” he said.