2015 Elections: “Minor” opposition parties set for merger

The political parties said the merger will prove they ‘can’ at the 2015 Elections.

“Minor” opposition political parties – under the aegis of the Patriotic Alliance of Nigeria, PAN, on Tuesday said it would form a third platform for the 2015 presidential poll.

PAN’s Coordinator, Maxi Okwu, said in Lagos that the groups would merge or form an alliance.

“We realised that minor opposition parties are not reckoned with by either the ruling party or in the current merger talks between Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, and the Congress for Progressive Change.

“The major political parties hold us in contempt, hence, our resolve to come together to prove that we can do it,” he said.

Mr. Okwu said that leaders of the minor’ parties are currently in talks, and would make their decision known to Nigerians soon.

“We are deliberating on forming an alliance and using a party platform, or going into a merger and registering a new party for the 2015 presidential polls,” he said.

The legal practitioner said that the leaders of the minor parties have resolved to put together a third force, based on progressive agenda of the member political parties.

Mr. Okwu said that Nigeria needs at least a minimum of two, but not more than three platforms, for the presidential elections.

“This is not to say that I support two or three party system. The platforms are strictly for the presidential polls.”

He, however, said that the current merger talks between the ACN, CPC and the ANPP lacked a strong South East, South- South input.

“These parties are not strong in the South-South zone, and need to balance up in order to succeed’’, the PAN Coordinator said.

Mr. Okwu said that what Nigeria lacked in its civil rule was the absence of viable alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in electoral terms.

“A viable alternative must be in place for any democracy to become meaningful,” he said.

NAN