The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had been engulfed in fresh tension over the emergence of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) formed by a coalition of over 34 political parties including the Opposition Peoples Democratic Parties (PDP). The CUPP marked the height of the conflicts in the ruling APC and the informal pull out of the R-APC from the ruling party.
The exit of the R-APC depopulated the ruling APC and increasing the stature of the Opposition PDP.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with 30 political parties in Abuja signaling the formation of a mega alliance under a new identity, Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP). About 34 opposition political parties, including a movement led by Pastor Tunde Bakare, were earlier said to be involved in the negotiation for the mega alliance that gave birth to the CUPP.
Leaders of the reformed APC had earlier told the PDP to change its name as a condition for dumping the APC and aligning with the leading opposition Political Party in Nigeria.
The signing of the MoU took place at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, where leaders of the party gathered for the historic political alliance towards the 2019 general elections. Prominent allies in CUPP includethe African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Social Democratic Party led by Chief Olu Falae and the reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), which Alhaji Buba Galadima is the National Chairman; Labour Party, where former Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State holds sway, as well as the National Conscience Party (NCP); including several other newly registered political parties.
At the singing of the MoU, monitored from Lagos by National Daily, the leadership of the PDP assured all ally of fairness and equity. R-APC National Chairman, Buba Galadima, told other allies of the need for maximum cooperation, telling them that they all have one enemy, that enemy he identified as incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he said they should all join together to unseat in 2019.
Chief Olu Falae, leading the SDP, emphasized that they would have want to present a presidential candidate in 2019, but for the political exigency of the moment, they would support any consensus presidential candidate that emerges from the alliance. Falae spoke of the necessity to unseat President Buhari in 2019, thus, declaring the SDP members would vote the consensus presidential candidate that emerges from the CUPP.
Deputy President if the Senate, Barrister Ike Ekweremadu, declared that with the CUPP alliance, the Igbo nation of the South East are now satisfied and happy; adding they now have renewed confidence and hope in the Nigerian project.
Vice President Atiku Abubakar commended the allies for the consensus to join forces together to rescue Nigeria from the bad government of the ruling APC.
The MoU indicating the consummation of the CUPP mega alliance signaled the return of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the PDP, as well as former President Ibrahim Badamosi Babagangida and others being recalled from retirement from partisan politics.
However, Dr. Obasanjo was not at the signing of the MoU and the declaration of the CUPP alliance. He was attending a PDP rally in Ogun State.