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	<title>9jainsider</title>
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        <title><![CDATA[2023: Parties, Groups May Merge To ‘battle’ APC]]></title>
		<link><![CDATA[https://9jainsider.wodemo.com/entry/526242]]></link>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[@9jainsider]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate><![CDATA[Sun, 01 Dec 2019 12:49:51 -0800]]></pubDate>
        <description><![CDATA[Although the next general elections are still
four years away, but a script that played out
in 2013, giving birth to the All Progressives
Congress, which successfully edged out the
then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
two years later is once again being written.
According to some principal actors in the
know, the opposition parties, movements
and forces are also plotting to come
together to become a political party and slug
it out with the ruling APC with a view to
winning the presidential election.
Even as the major opposition party, the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it is not
averse to such a merger.
A source privy to the arrangement told
Sunday Telegraph that the inaugural
meeting of the steering committee is billed
for this month.
Our source, who pleaded anonymity due to
the sensitive nature of the ongoing
discussions, said the seeds for the idea
were planted in June during the celebration
of the June 12 anniversary this year.
Our source said: “They have done that
during the June 12 celebration at late M.K.O
Abiola’s home in Ikeja. All opposition parties,
all movements came together and agreed
that credible alternatives should merge into
one political party.
“They have taken that step and it has been
handed over to Pat Utomi, Oby Ezekwesili,
Shehu Sani, Mohammed Fawehinmi, Prof.
Kila and Issa Aremu. They have started
consultations and it is still going on.
“They will meet this month (December) for
the inaugural meeting in Lagos. They are
going to merge to become one party. They
have all agreed and they are to merge and
present a presidential candidate that they
feel will be able to mount a serious
challenge to whoever the APC fields in 2023.
“They will go the way of the APC in order to
present a formidable opposition to the
ruling party. They are starting early, unlike
what they did one year to the 2019
elections. All of them have been asked to
merge and field one presidential candidate.
Consultations are now at advanced stage.”
An aide to a former PDP governor, weighing
in on the matter, said: “They will steal people
from here and there. Those ones are what
we call conjectures. What will define the
fight for 2023 will be the candidate that PDP
brings forward while ethnic and geo
political considerations will determine what
happens. Is it Igbo? Is it Yoruba? It is going
to be another North versus South because
from the body language of the Northerners,
they are not ready to let go. It is not going
to be APC.
“What they are going to do is to pitch the
South West against the South East and then
say well you are at logger heads, let us settle
it for you. PDP members will come together
under any other party, but the PDP will
remain as a party. It may only wane in
influence, but it will not die. There are some
core areas that will always be PDP.”
However, the main opposition party said
though it has not entered into discussions
with any political party but it is not averse to
merging with any party or parties that
desire such.]]></description>
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