Seven political parties in Nigeria have formed a coalition called Concerned Political Parties (CCPP) to resist the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The coalition was formed to prevent the APC from turning Nigeria into a one-party state. The coalition consists of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Young Progressive Party (YPP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The political parties decided to form a coalition during a meeting held at the SDP national secretariat.
During a press conference, the national chairman of the SDP, Shehu Musa Gabam, said that the federal government’s budget of theories cannot solve Nigeria’s economic problems. Gabam believes that the budget needs to be operational, not theory-based. He added that the National Assembly (NASS) must review the budget because Nigeria’s population is over 200 million and is still growing. According to Gabam, the budget is not balanced and is based on projections and theories that cannot be realized. He also mentioned that the country is over-indebted, yet the government continues to borrow. Gabam believes that the National Assembly must look into the budget passionately for the overall interest of Nigerians.
The acting national secretary of the PDP, Setinji Koshoedo, represented the party’s national chairman, Umar Damagum, at the press conference and said that the coalition is to offer strong opposition to the APC. He added that the government has not shown strategic moves to solve Nigeria’s problems and that the coalition’s duty is to offer alternative solutions to government policies.
The national chairman of the ADC, Ralf Nwosu, said that the idea is to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy. He added that people in government are trying to stifle viable opposition, and the coalition wants to offer a strong opposition for the good of Nigeria. The national chairman of the NNPP, Abba Kawu Ali, believes in the judiciary and the power of the Supreme Court to correct the wrongs. He added that millions of people voted for the person they wanted, but a few people decided otherwise, which is not healthy. The judiciary must be seen as the last hope of the common man.
The national publicity secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Obiora Iffoh, said that they are the Third Force in the Nigerian political circle and that his party should be driving the opposition. He added that the coalition of the seven political parties is just a group of like-minded parties. Even though they were not invited, as the third-largest political party in Nigeria, they should be driving the opposition.