As part of the moves to oust President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress in 2019, the major opposition parties and third force elements are expected to hold joint and separate talks in the coming days with a view to forging an alliance and supporting one presidential candidate.
Some of the parties that will participate in the discussions include the Peoples Democratic Party, the Olusegun Obasanjo-backed African Democratic Congress, and the Chief Olu Falae-led Social Democratic Party among others.
Already, the Nigerian Intervention Movement, co-chaired by Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) and Dr. Abdujalil Tafawa-Balewa, is presently holding alliance talks with the Coalition for New Nigeria, a coalition of 35 political parties.
The NIM said in a statement that it was holding separate and joint meetings with the Labour Party, United Progressive Party, Action Democratic Party, Action Alliance and several others.
It stated, “The NIM Coalition team has just ended a marathon coalition talks separately and jointly in Abuja at various locations with the Labour Party, United Progressive Party, Alliance for New Nigeria, Action Democratic Party, and Action Alliance in a process of setting up a national grand electoral alliance for 2019.
“All the parties have, by and large, agreed to the NIM’s terms and therefore asked to go and reaffirm the endorsement of their leadership organs and structures to avoid future problems.
“The MOU with the prospective coalition party and other parties in the electoral alliance will be signed next week after due consultations with their various leadership organs and the steering committee meeting of NIM must have given its nod and endorsement.”
It was learnt that the SDP was expected to hold talks with the NIM next week as well.
The Obasanjo-led Coalition for Nigeria Movement had adopted the ADC as its party.
The National Coordinator of the Obasanjo coalition, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, had told a gathering on Thursday that there was still room for the ADC to forge alliance with other interested parties to oust Buhari in the next general elections.