The All Progressives Congress (APC), has dismissed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), some aggrieved party members, otherwise known as Reformed-All Progressives Congress (R-APC), the Social Democratic Party and 36 others.
It assured that their gang-up won’t affect the chances of President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government in the 2019 general elections.
The group, comprising 39 political parties, which came together under the Coalition of United Political Parties, alleged that the Buhari administration is lacking in capacity to manage the nation’s security challenges among others.
However, some 20 political parties, yesterday, struck a deal with the ruling party, and disowned the coalition spearheaded by the PDP and R-APC-led coalition, describing the CUPP elements as hungry.
But in its first major reaction to the development yesterday, the APC said the party remains united and compact.
In a statement, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, reiterated that the so-called R-APC was not a faction of the party, but expressed its readiness to address real grievances of genuine members.
It said: “A group of individuals under the so-called ‘Reformed All Progressives Congress’ platform purportedly joined a coalition of opposition political parties ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“We respect the right of everyone to join any association or group. However, we wish to reiterate that the so-called R-APC is not a faction of our party. Our party, the APC remains united under the leadership of our President, H.E. Muhammadu Buhari.
“It is also noteworthy that some political parties that have been named as signatories to the MoU have disassociated themselves from the publicised deal.
“We, once again, reiterate the commitment of our party to address real grievances of our genuine members. We call on them to take advantage of this opportunity while the windows for reconciliation are still open.
“We are confident that no level of gang-up can make our government under President Buhari to waiver in its promises to Nigerians to rid our country of corruption and improve the quality of lives for our people.”
Accord Party, PDM, others disown CUPP
Meanwhile, about 20 political parties under the auspices of Coalition for Progressives Political Parties (CPPP) have formed an alliance to back President Buhari’s re-election bid.
Addressing newsmen yesterday in Abuja, Chairman of the coalition who doubles as the National Chairman of People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), Alhaji Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim declared that the coalition was “made up of likeminded political parties who believe in the unity and stability of the country.
He noted that the coalition which was formed in 2014 ahead of the 2015 presidential election, aligned with the candidature of the incumbent President Buhari, emphasising that the coalition was resurrected to counter the orchestrated PDP coalition against the APC-led government.
While berating the PDP coalition, he stated that the CUPP team was driven by selfishness and hunger to capture power in 2019.
He said, “yesterday, we woke to a new development where PDP, outside power, has now managed to create another coalition. As facts continue to emerge, they have listed 36 political parties. Our analysis of that coalition reveals that a number of political parties were included in that coalition fraudulently.
“Part of the 42 political parties they listed is Accord Party and the chairman of the party is here with us. I heard you are creating a coalition, you need to be honest about it as to who and who are members of the coalition.
“As of today, the membership of that coalition is in doubt. Two members also listed at that coalition are here. We are not part of that coalition because we represent a political type of politics which is in total contradiction of what they are doing.
“We do not believe that our country should be governed by people whose only objective is to capture power. Of what purpose is that coalition built? Is it for the purpose of taking Nigeria back to 1999 and 2015, or is it for the purpose of building a new Nigeria?
“That purpose has not been stated, even in their memorandum, the only thing in their MoU is to agree to capture power in 2019. Their programme has not been made known to the Nigerian public. We will not be part of a coalition that does not have a programme for Nigeria.”
On the objective of the CPPP coalition, Ibrahim said it was to mobilise Nigerians to play greater role in political activities in the country, and ensure that they are given the right to elect their leaders in a free, fair and credible electoral process.
Also speaking, Secretary of the Coalition and National Chairman of the Advanced People’s Democratic Alliance (APDA), Shittu Muhammed Kabiru, noted that the coalition was to advance the course of democracy and to stabilise the economy which was mismanaged by the past PDP-led government.
“We want Nigerians to know that our coalition is for a new Nigeria and to advance the course of Nigeria and democracy and also to change the country from impoverishment to economic prosperity.
“We want Nigeria to survive, we will do everything to defend the economy of this country; we are concerned about the unity and stability of Nigeria, Shitu said.
The political parties present at the meeting were the APC, Accord Party, PDM, United Progressive Party (UPP), APDA, Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
Others included; Freedom Justice Party (FJP), Fresh Party, (FP) New Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NNPP), Nigeria’s Peoples Congress (NPC), Nigeria Peoples Movement (NPM), Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), National Action Congress (NAC), and NDLP.
