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A new political association, Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) has emerged.
It was gathered that the new platform has the support of many Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains who have been seeking alternative platform to the Ali Modu Sheriff-led PDP.
The political platform was formally unveiled in Abuja on Monday, in what political commentators described as a signal to realignment of forces ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Apart from the owner of a prominent broadcasting organisation, Raymond Dokpesi, who entered the hall and took a back seat at the venue of the unveiling of the party, 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.
A former national chairman of the Labour Party (LP) Dan Nwanyanwu, who openly declared support for the association, said it would not only open the political space but will promote equity and justice among Nigerians.
However, it was disclosed at the formal unveiling of the political platform that the platform would give preference to youths.
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.
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.
He disclosed that the party’s constitution has provided that the office of the president will rotate between the North and South, and among the geo-political zone.
On his part, APDA interim National Chairman, Kabiru Shittu, said the platform will embrace internal democracy, where candidates will be elected through direct primaries.
When asked if APDA has problem of registration in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the interim chairman said all due processes dictated by the constitution had been met.
In line with extant laws, the electoral body will have to confirm the status of the platform as a political party before it can participate in future elections.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
