In a bid to tackle the problem of the absence of credible opposition in Nigerian politics, 12 of the 21-member Coalition for a New Nigeria (CNN) have decided to put forward a common candidate for the 2011 presidential elections.
The 12 parties, which signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Wednesday in Abuja to present a common presidential candidate in the 2011 general election also agreed to field one governorship candidate in each state as a way of challenging the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A spokesman of the CNN, Mr. Dan Nwanyanwu, who doubles as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), told journalists in Abuja that the parties that signed the MOU included the Progressive Action Congress (PAC), the Peoples Salvation Party (PSP), the Nigerian Advance Party (NAP), the Movement for Democracy and Justice (MDJ), the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
The other members of the coalition are the National Conscience Party (NCP), the Peoples Mandate Party (PMP), the Labour Party (LP), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the National Movement for Progressive Party (NMPP), the Accord Party (AP) and the Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP).
Nwanyanwu said that more parties would join the coalition and that some political parties did not sign because their chairpersons and national secretaries were absent.
He said that the coalition was aimed at uniting political parties with similar values and vision for the future of Nigeria, particularly to win the 2011 general elections.
According to the MOU, the Coalition Pact empowers the alliance to present and support one governorship candidate in each state to avoid splitting of votes.
In a speech at the ceremony, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, National Chairman of CNPP, urged media practitioners to stop portraying the PDP as a dominant party, adding that “PDP won’t be able to do what they have been doing before, if we had signed an alliance in 2003 and 2007’’.
“Don’t continue giving PDP the impression that it is the dominant party in the country, I want you to realize that there is now a concrete opposition to PDP than earlier before.
“Please recognize us for what we are now as a coalition,” Musa said.
Source African Press Agency
African News from NetNewsPublisher.com
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