Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra Central, says the Peace Movement Party (PMP) cannot claim ownership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)’s victory sign because it is not a registered political party.
Umeh spoke during an interview on Arise Television on Monday night.
His comments come amid the legal dispute over the NDC’s registration, with the PMP arguing that the victory sign belongs to its association.
‘Victory sign belongs to no one’
Umeh said the victory sign is a universal symbol that cannot be exclusively claimed by any group.
He noted that prominent figures, including Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, had used the symbol.
“The victory sign is a global sign,” he said.
“It doesn’t belong to anybody.”
‘Registration confers ownership’
Furthermore, the senator said a political symbol only becomes exclusive when INEC registers it as part of a political party’s official identity.
He argued that the PMP never acquired such rights because it was never registered.
“It is only when INEC registers you with it that nobody can use it again,” he said.
‘PMP doesn’t own the logo’
Meanwhile, Umeh maintained that the PMP’s application for registration did not give it ownership of the victory sign.
He said the association failed to meet INEC’s registration requirements.
“This association did not meet the registration criteria in 2015,” he said.
“The logo does not belong to PMP because it does not exist as a political party.”
