2027: Opposition party leaders to meet over mega party plan

As plans to form a mega opposition party take shape, chairmen and other chieftains of some opposition parties will meet on Thursday in Kaduna State.

The gathering will be hosted by the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Other parties and their leaders expected at the meeting are Accord Party; Peoples Redemption Party (PRP); KOWA Party, Social Democratic Party (SDP); All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); and the Labour Party.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a former ruling party, was conspicuously left out of the summit.

The national chairman of ADC, Ralphs Okey Nwosu, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the summit, tagged: Kaduna 2024, has the theme: “Solid Political Party Structure Critical to the Sustainability of the Democratic Process.”

He said it will be held at Arewa House under the chairmanship of Muhammad Lawal Nalado of the Accord Party, while the national chairman of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Falalu Bello, will deliver the keynote address.

There will be a sub-theme, on “Concept of the Political Party as Molue, Tuke-Tuke, Bolikaja, or SPV inimical to Political Leadership,” which will be delivered by the national chairman of KOWA Party, Mark Adebayo.

The summit chief guest of honour is the current national chairman Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) Yussuf Dantalle.

Also, Muhammad Lawal Nalado, former chairman of IPAC is expected to chair the summit.

Special guests of honour are the national chairman of SDP, Malam Shehu Gabam; national chairman of APGA, Sly Ezeokenwa; national chairman of NNPP, Ajuji Ahmed, and national chairman of Labour Party Barr Julius Abure.

Speaking about the Summit, ADC national chairman Ralphs Okey Nwosu, said it is part of ADC’s contribution to the sustenance of Nigeria’s democracy.

He said, the much talked about strong institutional requisites for democratic and political leadership begins with strong political parties.

“The political party is the foundation and sets the tone for the leadership to expect”.

He said ADC draws from experienced party leaders to give direction and begin afresh to set the template.

“We believe all of us have a role to play to make sure that this democracy survives, and ADC as one of the leading political parties in the country, is, as in our DNA, making it an inclusive affair.”

“We need purposeful leadership in the country, and ADC has been at the forefront of transitioning and envisioning a clear pathway for the nation.

“Despite the vagaries in our polity, ADC remains the learning organisation and political party that has continued to champion collaboration, coalition building and alliances to birth a new Nigeria,” Nwosu stated.