Nigerian Aggrieved Politicians Muse Mega Opposition Party

The initiators are said to be some members of the ruling APC and a faction of the opposition PDP.

In preparation for the next presidential election in 2019, some politicians in Nigeria are trying to set up a mega opposition party to contest against the ruling All People’s Congress, APC. Thisday newspaper reports that the proposed party is the initiative of some aggrieved opposition politicians of major political parties. The new opposition party is believed to have the tacit support of some members of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, party of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo.

The PDP currently controls 11 states in the country. According to the source, some individuals in the PDP have already bought into the mega party idea and have been meeting with those concerned. Meanwhile, the states considered to be the strongholds of the proposed mega party are Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu in the South-East; Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Cross River and Bayelsa in the South-South; Osun, Oyo, Ekiti and Lagos in the South-West; Gombe, Taraba, Adamawa in the North East; and Benue in the North-Central zone.

Observers said since the Governors of the 16 states are seen to be sympathetic to the cause of the mega party either directly or indirectly, their membership would most likely be taken for granted while the leadership concentrates on areas wher...