Governors support party merger

Buhari and Tinubu

Ten state governors in Lagos on Tuesday endorsed the proposed merger of opposition political parties to challenge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections.

The governors include Babatunde Fashola (Lagos State), Raufu Aregbesola (Osun), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Kayode Fayemi ( Ekiti) and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo State), all belonging to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Others are Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo and a member of APGA, Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno and Gov Abdul-Aziz Yari of Zamfara both of ANPP as well as Gov. Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, a member of CPC.

Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe (ANPP), was represented by Sen. Dejere Alkali at the meeting, which held at the Lagos State Government House, Alausa, Ikeja.

Former Head of State and CPC leader, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and ACN leader, Alhaji Bola Tinubu, have been the brains behind the proposed merger.

Addressing newsmen on behalf of others, Shettima said the resolve of the governors to support the merger was borne out of the need to rescue Nigeria from its present state.

“Having reviewed the situation in our country, we resolved that to rescue Nigeria is a task that must be done.

“As progressive and patriotic leaders of our people across party, religious and geo-political zones, we are extremely concerned about the state of the nation, which informed this meeting.

“We fully endorsed the merger initiatives already commenced by our various political parties and we will put our full weight behind these efforts,“ he said.

Also, Okorocha said the merger was necessary to save Nigeria’s democracy .

He said the country was gradually drifting to a one-party state, a situation that would not augur well for the development of the country and the interests of the people.

“I personally endorse this movement and this new merger, at least to rescue Nigeria. We want to rescue this country to make sure things get better. That is the essence of the alliance,“ he said.

Fashola said the merger was aimed at rescuing the country from underdevelopment and propel it to attain its right destiny.

Amosun dismissed fears over the workability of the merger, saying the stakeholders in the alliance were determined to ensure its success.

He said the merger would promote national development and implored Nigerians to support efforts to make it succeed.

Yari said the merger would offer credible alternatives to move the nation forward.