PDP-led coalition not a merger – APP

National Chairman, Action Peoples Party (APP), Mr Ikenga Ugo-Chinyeri, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led coalition, which emerged on Monday, is not a merger but platform to re-unify Nigerians.

Ugo-Chinyeri told our reporter in Abuja that the Coalition for United Political Parties (CUPP) was a timely action taken by 39 political parties in the interest of Nigerians.

He said that the alliance was not just to capture power, but to unify Nigerians as well as redeem the country from shambles.

“This is not a merger. It is a coalition of 39 political parties, including the leading opposition party, PDP, which share the same goal.

“It is not about capturing power, it is about the urgency to serve and save our motherland which is dancing at the edge of total economic and political eclipse,” he said.

Ugo-Chinyeri admitted that it was not an easy task getting together at this period, but stated that it was voluntary among the 39 political parties that were already set to put their energy and resources together.

He said that the parties’ decision to act now by forming the coalition was timely, adding that it would save the country from collapse.

He added that the parties were willing to sacrifice everything, especially the presidential slot in the 2019 general elections.

“The 39 political parties, including PDP, will bring forth a grand single presidential candidate.

“We will all queue to vote in that candidate and vote out the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC),” the APP chairman said.

He explained that a significance of the alliance was the agreement and signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by all the parties to form a government of national unity to represent and unify Nigerians.

According to him, the coalition is needed to take Nigeria to its promised land and it will redeem and retrieve both the country and the people from the incompetency of APC and its leadership.

Ugo-Chinyeri said that the coalition was different from that of 2015, adding that the terms were clearly spelt out “and over time more details about its manifesto and other vital information will be disclosed’’.

He stressed that the coalition was driven by national interest and expressed hope that individual or party interest would not in the future set in to de-stabilise it.

He said that the coalition would secure 25 per cent appointment for youths from 18 years to 35 years, adding that it would also focus on respect for human right, security of the country and restructuring.

Ugo-Chinyeri urged Nigerians to get registered and collect Permanent Voter Card (PVC) in order to vote in the 2019 elections.

“Nigerians should observe the willingness behind this coalition.

“They should see the sacrifices the opposition has made and now is the time for them to go and collect their PVCs and join the coalition to root out incompetency,” he said.

He added that more news would be heard from the coalition even as more political parties were already indicating interest to join.