Babangida Aliyu
As the Peoples Democratic Party continues to battle with an internal crisis, major stakeholders have unfolded plans to merge the party with other parties of a “similar ideology”.
This move, according to the leaders of the party, is to make the PDP a stronger and fresher coalition after the handover of power on May 29.
The PDP has ruled the nation since 1999 but is now entering unknown territory, as it will be in opposition for the first time.
The party not only lost the presidential race but also the two houses of the National Assembly and many guber elections especially in the North where it only retains Gombe and Taraba states.
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The push to merge is being headed by governors Sule Lamido, Godswill Akpabio, Muazu Aliyu and a few others who think that an alliance will increase the strength of the party.
The parties needed to form the alliance are the All Progressive Grand Alliance, the Labour Party, Kowa, Hope Party and others. It is hoped the new coalition will be able to challenge the APC.
Israel Ebije, a spokesman for Governor Muazu Aliyu of Niger state, told Premium Times that his boss backs the movement and they are trying to transform the party into a very formidable opposition.
He said that many individuals and political elders will be brought along, and revealed that governors Lamido and Aliyu decided to stay in the PDP as a matter of principle because they could not leave a house they had built for tenants to come and take over.
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He also explained that the party might have to change its name, because just the word PDP has become quite toxic to Nigerians and that it will be counterproductive to continue to use it as a viable opposition party.
“PDP may go and a new party may emerge, that is the way to go,” he said.
This formation follows the APC strategy, as the APC is the child of the merger of three main opposition parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, and the Congress for Progressive Change, as well as a faction of the APGA, in 2013.
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