“As it is, all patriotic Nigerians who are committed to rescuing Nigerian democracy should recognise that the challenge facing us as a nation is beyond the romantic affiliation to so-called political parties such as the PDP, with many of their leaders operating as Trojan horses to the APC and President Tinubu’s government.
“It makes no sense to invest energy and resources in a party whose leaders are either appointees of the APC government or undercover supporters. Otherwise, how can anyone justify the way PDP and its leaders are mismanaging themselves and practically putting themselves on the path of self-destruction and political irrelevance?
“For the avoidance of doubt, the coalition is fundamentally about rebuilding Nigerian democracy. Leaders of the coalition recognise this and, more importantly, recognise all the challenges ahead. Resolving these challenges and building the confidence of Nigerians is about restoring the value of political negotiations as critical and fundamental to guaranteeing the survival of democracy. Over the years, both the PDP and APC have demonstrated contempt for political negotiations and, to that extent, disrespected agreements in various ways.
“The survival of Nigeria and the future of democracy largely depend on how political actors seek to reverse this ugly reality. This is what leaders of the coalition have been painstakingly working on. The coalition is working hard to finalise negotiations towards unveiling the coalition, along with its structure and programme of action for rescuing Nigeria.
“The expectation is that all political actors, including leaders of the PDP, would recognise the danger facing the country and join the coalition as a necessary and perhaps strongest response towards rebuilding Nigerian democracy. This has not happened. However, even as the PDP governors and some leaders of the PDP express opposition to joining the coalition, we extend hands of fellowship to all political actors in the country to join us to rescue Nigerian democracy,” the coalition added.
Vanguard recalls that aside from Atiku, other drivers of the coalition include former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi; former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai; and Tinubu’s estranged ally and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal.
They are joined in the coalition by some aggrieved elements of the APC, including a former governor of Nasarawa State and former national chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; former Rivers State governor and ex-transport minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; and former Ekiti State governor and ex-minister of solid minerals, Dr John Kayode Fayemi.
