INEC registers UPN

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday approved the registration of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

In a statement signed by its Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, INEC said the approval was granted in its April 17th 2014 meeting, and brings to 26 the political parties in Nigeria.

The statement read in part: “the commission at its meeting held on Thursday 17th April 2014 approved the registration of the UPN, the applicant having met the legal requirements for registration.”

UPN was floated by Dr. Frederick Fashehun, a factional leader of Odua People Congress, OPC as an imitation of an immensely popular party with similar name led in the Second Republic by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

The Awo UPN won all the elections in the then south west states of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos and Bendel in 1979 and also had the second highest representation in both chambers of National Assembly.