2019 elections: PDP expresses worry as Obasanjo unveils mega coalition

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has questioned the credibility of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct a free and fair election in 2019.

Uche Secondus, National Chairman of the party, expressed his reservations on Wednesday, when a United Nations (UN) delegation visited him at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

According to Secondus, the PDP, in its 16 years in power, was guided by the rule of democracy while conducting elections.

He said since it assumed power, all the elections conducted by the APC “came with huge question mark”, causing fear in the minds of Nigerians.

“Over the years, we were in power as a party for 16 years to be precise. We midwived and deepened democracy. In the last 2015 election, we lost and conceded defeat, without attempting to go to court,” Secondus said.

“The entire country is worried, not only PDP, it is across the board. All the other political parties are very worried because of what is happening today in the country.”

Meanwhile, former President Olusegun Obasanjo is set to flag off the registration of the Coalition for Nigeria in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Thursday.

Kehinde Akinyemi, spokesman of the ex-president, disclosed this on Wednesday.

According to Akinyemi the registration would take place at the Ogun state secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Abeokuta.

Recall that the coalition was launched in Abuja on Wednesday at the Musa Yar’adua Center in Abuja on Wednesday.

Addressing members of the movement on Wednesday, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, coordinator of CNM said “there is need to run fast and ensure that the movement is carried to the nooks and crannies” of the country.

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He said the desire of the movement is to see the new Nigeria, noting that there is a need for synergy between all the movements in the country.

According to him, this would help in achieving the common goal of giving the leadership of the country to “knowledgeable and vibrant young men”.

Oyinlola said the old ones in the coalition would be like “guardian angels” while the young ones would be in the driver seat.

He said individuals would not bring money into the movement but that “everybody will contribute in order to avoid one person controlling and dictating the affairs of the movement”.

Donald Duke, former governor of Cross River state, said there is no political party in the country but platforms, making people crisscross from one platform to the other. He said the new generation needs mentorship and if they fail to prepare the next generation for the leadership role, the country would be doomed.

He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have failed and have not been able to meet the aspirations of Nigerians.