A coalition of 15 political parties on Tuesday said it has formed an electoral alliance tagged ‘Mega Coalition’ to adopt and field candidates at governorship and presidential elections in Nigeria.
The coalition in a statement said it is determined to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.
The electoral alliance which the parties said is not a merger would see the participating registered political parties fielding separate candidates for councillorship, local government chairmanship, House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senatorial elections, but collaborating at the gubernatorial and presidential elections.
“At the governorship elections, the winning party shall form a Government of State Unity (GSU) while at the presidential election the winning party shall form a Government of National Unity (NUG) with a view to accommodating participating parties in the coalition thereby reducing the winner takes all syndrome which does not allow smaller political parties to grow in Nigeria.”
Some of the parties that signed the agreement document included the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP), Democratic Alternative (DA), Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC) and Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), among others.
For a start, the coalition would field candidates in the forthcoming governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun, vowing to dislodge the ruling parties in those states.
According to the document which was made available to journalists, “The mega coalition in response to the high divisiveness in Nigeria and lack of credible opposition party in Nigeria since after the 2015 general elections… in 2019 general election no one single party can win at first ballot.
It will be difficult to meet the constitutional two third states requirement. The only way to success in 2019 is for like-minded political parties to come together to select credible, capable and popular candidates who can win elections.”
The coalition has selected Chief Perry Opara to lead it as chancellor of the mega coalition.
The Chancellor, Chief Opara, who is the National Chairman of National Unity Party, has, however, condemned the level of division in Nigeria and urged politicians and members of the non-governmental, faith based and socio-cultural organisations to be careful with their utterances and to preach peace, instead of hate and division.
“The mega coalition urged Nigerian politicians who have something to hide to desist from parading themselves for elective offices, while credible men and women who are courageous are encouraged to start now to educate the masses on their blueprint for elections.
“The mega coalition thanked INEC for announcing the February 2019 date for commencement of elections which puts politicians and political parties on notice ahead of time.”
According to Opara “no party shall be excluded from participating in the mega coalition. Only good candidates who have programmes that can provide dividends of democracy can be voted into office by Nigerians.”
He said the mega coalition is ready to collaborate with any like-minded registered political party irrespective of its previous electoral fortune.
“2019 election shall have emphasis on candidates and personalities rather than parties. Nigerians are now aware that most politicians promise heaven on earth when they are seeking public offices only to renege on their campaign promises when they are elected. Nigerians are now aware and know better.
“We shall test the might of the mega coalition in the Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states elections before the 2019 general elections. Future elections in Nigeria will no longer be about political parties or God-fatherism. It will be about the personality of the candidates and the issues being canvassed.
“The Mega Coalition will reduce the inconveniences INEC faces in conducting elections. It will make elections and candidates management easier.”
