By Omar Bah
Two new political parties, The United Movement for Change (UMC) and the Alliance for Inclusive Progress (AIP) have now been formally registered by the Independent Electoral Commission,The Standard has been reliably informed.
The Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Joseph Colley had earlier confirmed that the commission has registered two political parties and that they were invited to a meeting on Wednesday but fell short of naming them.
However, reliably sources confirmed to The Standard yesterday that the two parties are UMC led by Talib Ahmed Bensouda and the Alliance for Inclusive Progress, AIP, led by Yiramang.
The development ends months of uncertainty surrounding the status of the two groups and gives them legal standing to operate as registered political entities.
The move is significant at a time when political actors are intensifying mobilisation ahead of the December presidential election.
Registration grants UMC and AIP a clearer platform to engage supporters, hold internal structures together and present themselves as credible alternatives within the country’s political landscape.
Spokespersons and supporters of the two groups have consistently maintained that registration was only a matter of time. With this milestone now achieved, attention is likely to shift to how both formations organise themselves, expand their base and translate recognition into political influence.
The registration also sends a clear signal that the two groups are moving from informal political activity into a more structured phase of operation.
