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| Gov Ben Ayade (L) of CRS and Gov Ubom Emmanuel (R) of AKS |
Efio-Ita Nyok|7 December 2016
One of the news making the rounds in both mainstream and new media is the formation of a new mega opposition political party in the country. The constitution of the anticipated party is the Makarfi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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| Tinubu an APC chieftain has denied involvement with new mega opposition political party |
This new mega party is projected to constitute a solid opposition to the ruling APC in view of gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun come 2018 and the general elections of 2019. Despite the fact that the various constituents of this anticipated mega party are yet to be resolute on their membership of the party as Tinubu and Atiku have openly denied decamping from the APC, Cross River State and Akwa Ibom have been fingered to make up the membership of this party.
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| Sherrif’s faction of the PDP is suspected to be colluding with the APC to ground the PDP |
According to a 7th December report by ThisDay it is noted that, ‘The states already considered to be the strongholds of the proposed mega party are Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu in the South-east; Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Cross River and Bayelsa in the South-south; Osun, Oyo, Ekiti and Lagos in the South-west; Gombe, Taraba, Adamawa in the North East; and for now Benue State in the North-central zone.
‘Since the governors of the 16 states are seen to be sympathetic to the cause of the mega party, either directly or indirectly, their membership would most likely be taken for granted, while the party is saddled with the task of concentrating on areas where it is considered to be relatively weak’, the report continued.
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| Gov Ayade and wife, Linda (far R) with Governors Obaseki and Okorocha of the APC. Ayade is suspected to planning a defection to the APC |
With the rumored defection of Cross River governor, Mr Ben Ayade, to the APC one wonders whether to which faction of the ruling party Ayade will take cover in? The Tinubu faction, or El-Rufai/Fasola faction/Amaechi faction or the Abuja/Buhari faction? Should he pitch tent with the Abuja/Buhari faction, which he is most likely to, then this merger would experience a major setback. Albeit, all these permutations will depend on the 9th December Supreme Court ruling.
My grouse has been the way political parties are formed in Nigeria —no ideology, issues, just sentiment! What is informing the formation of the new party if not sentiment. We have not heard of ideological differences, nothing other than sentiment!
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven.org
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven.org
