Opposition Parties React to Atiku’s Call for Merger as APC Dismisses Threat
Following former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s call for opposition parties to merge against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have offered contrasting responses, while the APC brushed off any sense of threat from the proposal.
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Atiku, during a gathering with the National Executive Committee of the Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria, urged opposition parties to unite in a bid to dislodge the APC from power, citing concerns about the consolidation of power by one political party and the potential threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
Reacting positively to Atiku’s proposal, Obiora Ifoh, the acting National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, described it as a worthwhile suggestion aimed at ousting the ruling party, which he accused of undermining democracy.
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Ifoh emphasized the need for a true democracy in Nigeria and welcomed any proposition supporting that goal.
In contrast, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) responded with specific conditions. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Yakubu Shendam, expressed skepticism and termed Atiku’s call as an emotional and belated remedy.
Shendam emphasized that the NNPP would only consider the merger if Atiku pledged support for former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso’s bid for the presidency in 2027.
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Shendam stressed the party’s belief in Kwankwaso’s capacity to lead Nigeria and urged Atiku to join forces with Kwankwaso if he aimed to remain influential in future politics.
On the other hand, the ruling APC dismissed any concern or perceived threat from Atiku’s call. Bala Ibrahim, the APC Publicity Director, downplayed the impact of Atiku and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), referring to them as inconsequential and lacking the capability to pose a threat to the party in power.
Ibrahim highlighted past legal and public opinions that allegedly discredited Atiku, asserting that neither Atiku nor the PDP had the potency to instill fear or influence the ruling party, particularly one that prides itself on being progressive.
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Atiku’s appeal for opposition unity has elicited varied responses, revealing the complexities and differing priorities among political parties in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.
