By SUNDAY ODIBASHI
The Nigerian Intervention Movement (NIM) led by Olisa Agbakobo SAN and the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) led former President Olusegun Obasanjo is being hit by fresh crisis of unifying their goals in the struggle for change in 2019. The two emergent Social Movements assuming the status of a Third Force to the hegemonic All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are working at cross-purpose on the political platform to adopt for sponsoring candidates for the 2019 general elections.
The Obasanjo’s CNM had earlier adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after months of speculations on alliance with the SDP. On the contrary, Agbokoba’s NIM on Wednesday adopted the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) as the party platform to sponsor candidates for the 2019 general elections. It has become obvious that leaders of the Third Force are not consulting on decisions of their respective blocs for a united force.
National Daily observes that the consequence would be the weakening of the Third Force in the 2019 elections, allowing space for the hegemonic PDP and APC to stabilize their status in the polity.
The political movement announced its adoption of ANN, a relatively new party, at a gathering on Lagos.
Agbakoba, NIM Chairman, former National President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), NIM’s co-chairman, Dr. Abdul Jelil-Tafawa Balewa, at a meeting with other members of NIM and executive members of the ANN in Lagos disclosed the decision to go into the alliance.
National Daily gathered that Agbakoba explained that the decision of NIM to align with ANN was predicated on the quest for reliable platform for NIM to accomplish its mission for Nigeria in 2019.
Agbakoba, represented by NIM’s, Deputy-Director-General, Mallam Nasir Kuta, had explained further that the limited time to the general elections would not permit NIM to register as a political party to sponsor candidates on its independent platform. He stated that NIM in the vision ANN and its ideology to build a better Nigeria.
Agbakoba had declared “It is trite to state that the majority of Nigerians have been overwhelmed by the extant quality of politics going on in our dear country as manifested by self-serving politics.
“For us in NIM, the whole essence of political leadership and government is the welfare and wellbeing of the citizenry.
“Therefore, there is need to restore hope to this country. The NIM was formed on 28th November 2017 by a new breed of leaders of conscience towards breathing a new life of constitutional democracy and good governance trajectory that will engender a new Nigeria that works for all of us.
“Therefore having come to the reasoned conclusion that political parties are pillars for nurturing popular democracy and nurturing good governance and that political parties that have superintended over the affairs of the country have failed.
“And given the timeline of the general elections, it was our resolve to adopt a fresh and untainted political party with elemental potential of delivering dividends of democracy towards realizing a new Nigeria of our dream.”
Agbakoba appealed to Nigerians to support the NIM/ANN alliance towards presenting a credible alternative in 2019.
Debe Odimegwu-Ojukwu, son of late founder of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Odimegwu Ojukwu; Mr. Fela Durotoye, and Mrs. Elishama Ideh, both presidential aspirants on the ANN platform, were said to be present at the meeting.
National Chairman of ANN, Dr. Jay Osi-Samuels, had admitted that the adoption of ANN by NIM was historic. He also explained that the marriage of the two platforms was borne out of the need to give Nigerians a credible alternative in 2019.
He further told Nigerians to trust the platform to deliver the goods in 2019.
“We also urged citizens to obtain their PVCs as that is what they need to realise the country of their dream,” he had said.
Meanwhile, about 35 other political parties, including the PDP, are still negotiating another alliance that would form a new mega political party in Nigeria. Pastor tuned Bakare of the Latter rain Assembly in Lagos, had at different times identified with the negotiation among the 35 political parties, assuring of the success of the negotiations to save Nigeria from the APC.