Fifteen political parties have come together to form an electoral alliance, known as Mega Coalition, to adopt and field candidates for governorship and presidential elections.
The parties said the electoral alliance was not a merger because it would see the participating registered political parties field separate candidates for councillorship, local government chairmanship, House of Assembly, House of Representatives and senatorial elections, but collaborating at the gubernatorial and presidential elections.
The mega coalition also chose National Chairman of the National Unity Party, NUP, Chief Perry Opara as its “Chancellor.”
According to the coalition in a statement in Abuja yesterday, “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 which signed the agreement 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.
The coalition said it would field candidates in the forthcoming governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states, for a start, vowing to dislodge the ruling parties therein.
It added, “The Mega Coalition is a response to the high divisiveness in Nigeria and lack of credible opposition party in Nigeria since the 2015 general elections.
‘’In 2019 general elections, no 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.”
Chief Opara added, “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.”
Opara said that 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. Opara said the Mega Coalition is ready to collaborate with any like-minded registered political party irrespective of its previous electoral fortune.
“2019 elections 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 Godfatherlisim. 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”, he stated.