Ahead of a conclusive merger of the opposition parties in Nigeria, not less than 1000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.
ACN leader in Enugu State, General J.O.J Okoloagu, Rtd, disclosed this, Monday, at a press briefing in Enugu while speaking on the state of opposition parties in the state.
Okoloagu who was flanked by former chairmen of other opposition parties in the State said the parties entered into a merger last year, noting that it was the only way to wrestle reclaim power from the PDP.
He said while the parties wait for the consolidation of the merger of opposition parties in the country under the All Progressives Congress, APC, political parties in Enugu State had decided to chase the PDP out of power through the ACN.
“The arrogant PDP in Enugu State has said so many times that there is no opposition party in this state. I didn’t want to join issues with them until the need arose.
“I want to let the general public know that the opposition parties in Enugu State have become even more stronger than before.
“After the 2011 general elections, major opposition parties in the state went into a discussion and the outcome of the discussion is that all the opposition parties in this state have collapsed into the ACN.
“We felt that the only way we can contain the arrogance of the PDP is to come together. This new political allignment under the CAN has members of the CPC, Labour Party and majority of APGA members. Interestingly too, thousands of PDP members in Enugu state have also registered as our members. The people I am talking about are even high profile members, I don’t want to mention names now, but you shall soon find out”, he disclosed.
The ACN leader lamented that despite serious effort of the opposition parties in past elections, they were unable to make impact owing to alleged rigging that has become a culture in the PDP.
He said the situation had changed with the new political structure, sounding a note of warning that rigging would be out of place in December council election in the state.
“If the APC merger is consumated before December, we shall use it as the umbrella to intall proper people in power in the state, but if it is not concluded before then, the ACN shall be the common platform of all opposition parties here.
“I am also using this medium to caution that they should allow our people elect their own grassroots leaders not PDP leaders. Nobody has monopoly of violence, we are not threatening but we will use what we have at our disposal to defend our votes.
“This time around, anybody who stops free and fair election is looking for trouble. Not in our life time again will anybody write election results at the back yard in Enugu State”. He called on the people of the state to give the ACN a chance, describing the reign of PDP in the state since 1999 as wasted years.
“I am calling on our people to heartilly embrace the ACN; Enugu people should ask themselves, why can’t our place be like Lagos as well as other ACN states. I don’t like this sentiment that ACN is a Yoruba party. What has the PDP done for Ndigbo? What is the position of Ndigbo in the PDP mid-wifed by Dr. Alex Ekwueme?”, he asked.
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