PDP, other parties’ MoU opportunistic, won’t defeat APC, Balarabe Musa declares

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, has said that the nature of coming together People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and 40 other parties merely of the umbrella party’s former discontent members, is not because they have a different ideological position but because they have lost the opportunity to share power and, therefore, that they will not be able to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming election.

He said the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the parties and groups ahead of the 2019 general elections is an act of “opportunism”.

Musa said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said, “I don’t think a coalition like this which is opportunistic will be able to defeat the governing party that is, the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and 37 other political parties and groups had on Monday signed the MoU ahead of 2019 general elections.

National chairmen of the political parties signed the MoU pledging to work together under “Coalition for United Democratic Parties (CUDP)’’ to produce a presidential candidate for the forthcoming election

Musa who is the National Chairman, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) said his party was not part of the coalition.

“Remember, the reason for coming together is simply because they have lost the opportunities for sharing power.

“It is not because of anything which they can do which APC didn’t do. No, it is not because they have a different ideological position.

“There is no fundamental difference between them and the APC; they are just an electoral gang to defeat the APC. I don’t think the coalition is enough,” he said.

According to him, what is needed is an alliance which is ideologically more focused than the APC and not just an aberration of what APC stands for.

“In any case also, they have to contend with other alliances. I don’t think it will make any difference at all.

“Between now and August, we will know whether they can make qualitative difference and do what APC is able to do,” Musa said.

On the 2019 election, Musa said that Nigerians were now more enlightened more than before, adding that Nigerians would want to see a qualitative difference.

“We should know that there should be some way we can reconcile all Nigerians to be united as one united, democratic Nigeria based on credibility, national unity and even development of the whole country.

“Secondly, we must ensure there is free, fair and transparent election leading to a legitimate government.

“Thirdly, this disabling level of stealing and criminal waste of resources must stop by any means.
“If we fail to do this, the situation now as it is today is so negative. If we fail to do anything, for instance, if we fail to correct the situation constitutionally, then we should be prepared for the worse.

“At the moment, the Executive and the Legislature are after each other, they are fighting to the finish.

“They have been doing that right from the beginning of this government since 2015. That has to stop,” Musa said.