The Independent National Electoral Commission on Friday presented certificates of registration to the five newly-registered political parties in the country.

The parties are: Action Democratic Party, All Democratic People’s Movement, Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance, New Generation Party of Nigeria and Young Progressive Party.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, while presenting the certificates to the parties in Abuja, urged them not to consider their registration as an end in itself.

Yakubu said that the registration should be seen as opportunity for the political parties to exercise their critical roles in the best interest of growing the country’s democracy.

He said: “As you are aware, political parties are at the heart of our democracy. Under the Constitution, no Nigerian can contest an election conducted by lNEC unless he/she is sponsored by a political party.

“Similarly, under the Constitution, you are registered to operate as national political parties.

“As such, you should remain committed to the politics of principles and development of the entire nation as articulated in your party constitutions and manifestos which you submitted along with your applications for registration.

“You must eschew the politics of division, bitterness, mud-slinging and hatred.

“You must also be inclusive in all your activities by giving opportunity to all citizens, especially disadvantaged groups such as women, youths and persons with disabilities.”

Yakubu assured that the new parties would enjoy equal rights and privileges of recognised political parties under the Constitution, the Electoral Act as well as INEC’s regulations and guidelines.

He assured: “At some time, the commission will continue to strictly monitor the activities of all political parties and will not hesitate to apply sanctions against any violation of the law governing the terms and conditions of your registration.

“I wish to remind all political parties that the law also provides for de-registration of parties. We shall vigorously apply this aspect of the law as the need arises.’’

The chairman said that INEC would pay special attention to the conduct of political parties during outstanding bye-elections and the three governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States.

Yakubu said: “The commission will pay special attention to the conduct of political parties as well as their candidates and supporters.

“Hate speech and other violations of the Electoral Acts attract appropriate sanctions under the law.”

He disclosed that the commission received three additional applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.

He said: “This means that the commission is currently processing 103 applications.

“Out of this number, six associations are currently undergoing the initial assessment of their logos, names, acronyms and other legal requirements for registration.

“Thirty-three associations have passed the initial assessment and advised to proceed with the necessary documentation in support of their applications.

“Ten associations have passed the initial assessment, submitted the necessary documentation and the Commission is currently verifying their submissions.

“Finally, 54 associations have failed the initial assessment due mainly to the similarity of their proposed names or logos with existing political parties or associations.”

Yakubu said that the commission would continue to give expeditious consideration to all applications in line with the requirements of the law.

On his part, Mohammad Nalado, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, commended INEC for registering the five political parties, while congratulating the new parties.

Nalado urged Nigerians willing to go into politics to study the country’s Constitution and parties’ manifestoes to see if there was any party they could work with.

He said: “What is happening now is a good development. It is also good to consider how we can make it easier for the electorate when they want to make their choice when it comes to voting.

“I am sure that if the list is too long it will be very difficult for the electorate to make a very good choice.’’

Three gunmen believed to be armed robbers have invaded the Owerri residence of the media aide to Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu, representing Imo North, Emeka Ahaneku.

The attack came a few days after he returned to the state capital from Abuja to see his family.

Speaking on Friday, the lawmaker’s aide said that the gunmen gained access into his apartment after breaking through one of the windows in the early hours of Friday.

According to him, the gunmen, who he said were not masked, having gained access to his house ordered him, his wife and children to lie on their stomachs, while they ransacked his rooms, and carted away valuables.

He said that his properties, his work gadgets, including his phones and computers were made away with by the thieves.

However, Ahaneku said that himself and members of his family were not harmed, but decried the number of documents the robbers took away.

Asked if the robbery had political undertone, the All Progressives Congress member said that he could not speak on that, saying he had no political scores to settle with anybody.

Nigerian Senate has made public, list of government agencies yet to submit their 2017 budget proposal to the National Assembly in line with extant law.

Recall that the Senate on Tuesday lamented that the situation negated President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance against corruption.

Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, who drew the attention of his colleagues to the abnormality during plenary, insisted that it was wrong for agencies to spend money that has not been appropriated by the legislature.

Na’Allah told his colleagues that he intends to bring the issue to the floor as a motion so that Senators will understand the implications and the need to assist the government to fight corruption.

“I deliberately decided that I will bring it on the floor, so that Senators will understand the implications,” Na’Allah said.

“In our commitment to assist this government to fight corruption, we must stand on our feet that every spirit of our law must be obeyed by those holding public offices.

“I think that if you permit me I will like to come tomorrow by way of motion, so it can be debated on the Floor of the Senate.

“The only approach this Senate can take to assist this government in fighting corruption, is to insist that gross abuse of power and misuse of power must be stopped by every government agency.

“The only way we can build our institutions is to radically address the issue of abuse of power and misuse of power. I think that if you give me permission, I will like to bring it tomorrow as a motion.”

The full list of agencies yet to submit their budget, as released by the Senate, below:

Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASEI), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Maritime Authority (NMA), Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Nigerian Postal Service (NPS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA),

Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), National Communications Commission (NCC), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Others are National Insurance Commission (NIC), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigerian Copyrights Commission (NCC), Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Radio Nigeria, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), Federal Mortgage Bank, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), as well as Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGZFA)

A clearly-shaky President Robert Mugabe has told President Jacob Zuma: “We are happy you are still in one piece in spite of what the papers are writing every day.”

The Ali Modu Sheriff-faction of the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party is to appear before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday (today) to argue its application for an interlocutory injunction seeking to stop the party from going ahead with its planned national convention scheduled to hold on August 17.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressive Congress (APC) of appropriating the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge rail line project, which was conceptualised, awarded and constructed by past PDP administrations.

Chief Raymond Dokpesi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of marginalising the peoples of the South East zone of the country.

The PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has commended what he described as ‘’uncommon courage” of Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki, the Accord governorship hopeful, for putting on hold his governorship ambition and collapsing his structure within the PDP.

the All Progressives Congress caucus in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State on Sunday urged the Deputy Senate President, Mr. Ike Ekweremadu, to stop dragging the name of the local government and that of the Igbo in general into his travails.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says he has begun compiling vouchers and other evidence of the fraud perpetrated by the immediate past Peoples Democratic Party government in the State, in which Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu served as the Secretary to the State Government, and pass it on to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for investigation and prosecution.

President Barack Obama questioned Republican nominee Donald Trump’s readiness to be commander-in-chief, in an interview broadcast Sunday.

The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has asked Governor Ayodele Fayose to spend the fresh monthly Federal Allocation to the state to pay workers’ salaries and dying pensioners’ entitlements.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has noted that the biting scarcity, hardship and poverty in the land have made Nigerians to be earnestly longing for the main opposition party to dislodge the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, from power at the national level.

The Benue State House of Assembly on Thursday suspended the leader of a splinter group in the House, Kesker Kyenge, of the Peoples Democratic Party, representing Logo State Constituency, over issues bordering on misconduct.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, will on Monday join current and former world leaders in the U.S. for 2016 Democratic Convention.

The All Progressives Congress has described the impeachment threat issued to President Muhammadu Buhari by some senators on Tuesday as a joke taken too far.

The embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, has called on loyalists of the party to “work collectively towards ending the leadership crisis within the party.”

Theresa May will on Wednesday become the prime minister who leads Britain’s into Brexit talks after her only rival in the race to succeed David Cameron pulled out unexpectedly.

A High Court of Abia State has stopped the Chief Judge of Abia State, the President of the Customary Court of Appeal in the state and any other judiciary officers in the state from swearing in Uche Oga as governor.

Edo State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih, has said that a hundred Modu Sheriffs cannot suspend him and his executive from performing their functions as they were duly elected by the party faithful in the state.