The Founder and National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, Chief Chekwas Okorie, has founded another party, the United Peoples Grand Alliance.
Okorie, who handed back the instruments of the registration of APGA to the Independent National Electoral Commission a few weeks back after a court judgement that he was not the chairman of the party, launched UPGA on Tuesday.
Okorie, who addressed newsmen at the national secretariat of UPGA in Abuja, said the new party was set to take over Nigeria’s political space with the good governance.
He said he has learnt a lot of lessons from his sojourn in APGA, adding that he now has the capacity to detect a traitor from a distance.
He said: “My travails in APGA has thought me a lot of lessons.
“One of such lessons is that today, I can detect a traitor from a distance.”
The text of his address reads: “Gentlemen of the press, it is with pleasure and gratitude to Almighty God that I hereby inform the public through your media that we the founding members of the National Executive Committee of our proposed political party, have applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in accordance with the relevant provisions of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended and the 2010 Electoral Act, for the registration of our Political Association as a Political Party.
“Following the reply to our application by INEC, we have endeavoured to fulfill the requirements of the law as set out in the INEC guidelines for Political Party registration.
“Form PA.1, and other support documents furnished to us by INEC in its guidelines have been completed, provided and returned to the Commission. Receipt of same has been duly acknowledged by the Commission as required by law.
“The name of our proposed Political Party is: UNITED PEOPLES GRAND ALLIANCE, with the acronym UPGA. Our symbol/Logo is: the Rising Sun with the acronym UPGA written on the bar upon which the Rising Sun is rested.
“The motto of UPGA is LOVE AND UNITY and the flag of the proposed party is made of White and Green colours with the party symbol/logo displayed on the white part of the flag.
“The features of our proposed party are self explanatory but permit me to shade more light on our symbol/logo, the Rising Sun.
“The Rising Sun is a universal brand that among other things, signals the dawn of a new day. At the dawn of a new day all men and women of good conscience set out to work for honest living.
“UPGA Constitution, among other things, safe-guards internal party democracy, level playing field for all party members, discipline, accountability and periodic change of leadership at all levels through elections.
“The party’s manifesto lays emphasis on the economic, political and social empowerment of the Nigerian masses in whom Nigeria’s sovereignty resides. The ideology of UPGA is anchored on welfarism, liberalism and progressivism.
“In the next few months, the leadership of UPGA shall embark on massive consultation and sensitisation of Nigerians at home and abroad before the formal launching of the party after the party must have been formally registered by the Commission.
“I wish to conclude by appealing to all Nigerians to march together with us, to work for the welfare of the good people of Nigeria and humanity on the platform of the United Peoples Grand Alliance, UPGA.”