KIEV, October 28 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine's Central Election Commission on Wednesday registered the leader of the opposition Party of Regions, Viktor Yanukovych, as a candidate for presidential elections scheduled for early next year.

Yanukovych attended the commission's meeting on Wednesday to personally receive his candidate certificate for the presidential elections to be held on January 17 in the ex-Soviet republic.

"I'm doing this [running for president], first of all, to bring order to the country and overcome poverty," Yanukovych said.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on Tuesday also registered as a candidate in Ukraine's upcoming presidential election.

However, the incumbent leader is unlikely to win the presidential election, the first since the 2004 "orange revolution" that swept him to power, as polls put his support in the low single digits.

Opinion polls point to Yanukovych, the president's opponent in the 2004 race, as the leading contender, along with former Yushchenko ally and now rival Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. But pollsters say none of the candidates is likely to garner the 50% plus one vote required to avoid a runoff.

Eight people have so far formally registered as contenders, including Supreme Rada Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn, ex-defense minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko and Communist leader Petro Symonenko.

The registration deadline is November 9.