BY Jubril Bada

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Reactions have continued to trail the unveiled plans for a Mega Party by a group of politicians under the aegis of the National Consultative Forum, NCF, to displace the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
The group consisting eminent Nigerians, politicians, technocrats and legal practitioners had unveiled plans ahead of 2023 poll, towards wrestling power from the APC.
Speaking with The Hope, various political parties consisting the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, the All Progressives Congress, APC, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP and Accord Party, AP described the move as a good development while some said it was not.
The State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kennedy Peretei, disclosed that the party was not part of the move, adding that it would not.
He explained that the PDP as a strong opposition had prepared to wrestle power from the APC in 2023 general elections.
According to him ” This is not the first time people have been mooting this idea. But the PDP as far l know is not part of it. We are prepared to wrestle power from the APC”
Responding, the State Chairman Caretaker Committee of the APC, Mr. Ade Adetimehin averred that the unveiled plan for a mega party was not a threat to the APC.
He said lack of political antecedents, capacity and mission among leaders of the group to convince people of giving them good leadership would not enable the move to see the light of the day.
Adetimehin maintained that APC is a party to beat and well structured across the federation in term of capacity with leaders of integrity to pilot the affairs of the country.
He added that the APC is waxing stronger on daily basis, following the defection of opposition into the party.
“Though leaders of the group are elder statesmen in the society do not have political antecedents, mark in political circle.
” The mega party is not and cannot be a threat to APC. You don’t give what you don’t have.
“If they succeed in coming to board as a strong opposition, it will pave way and strengthen APC more.
” What APC did in 2014 was a merger that never happened in the history of Nigeria, but what the present group of politicians are practising as merger is quite different from APC did in 2014.
” In 2014, bigger parties merged to form APC as a biggest party. ACN in the southwest, which was most option to southwest people. ANPP, some parties including CPC dominant in the northern region and factional part of the PDP across the north and the south east of the country led to the formation of APC” he said
On his own, the State Chairman, ZLP, Chief Joseph Akinlaja, said the national body of the party would revealed its decision to join the group or not.
Asked if the group would succeed in the move, Akinlaja, said nothing it is impossible in the country, adding that merger depends on how people embrace the foreseen mega party as a new party.
Also, Chairman of the AP in the State, Dr. Ajibola Falaiye, described the move as a welcome development, just as he said that there was a need for political parties to form a formidable front with ideas to tackle the country’s challenges and safe its future.
He explained that if the group could come with an identity to actualise its dream, saying that this would better the country a lot.
Falaiye said the national body of the party which is in the right position to decide the position of the AP on the move would reveal its decision soon.
“Without merger with some political parties, it will be difficult to defeat APC in order to produce president.
“It will be unity in diversity with new ideology to move the country forward” he noted.