The Nigerian Intervention Movement (NIM) popularly called “The Third Force” is said to be consolidating on its efforts and deepening its attempt to dislodge President Muhammadu Buhari and his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from power as the 2019 general elections gather more heat. The coalition is also averse to the return of the former ruling party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
NIM according to information obtained from its website by BusinessDay on Monday, noted that its coalition with about 35 registered political parties will hold a steering committee leadership meeting in Lagos on Wednesday March 28, to agree on a strategy plan and the choice of presidential candidate for the coalition ahead of the general elections.
The Grand Coalition of NIM had earlier endorsed a high powered Steering team, a mixture of both youths and Elders, being co- chaired by legal luminary and human rights advocate, Olisa Agbakoba and a renowned medical expert and son of the former Prime Minister of Nigeria, Jalil Tafawa Balewa. NIM held its Grand Political Coalition summit on March 21 in Abuja where it inaugurated what it called “Fresh breed rainbow political movement.”
The coalition claims that it has a membership of about five million people comprising 35 registered Political Parties in Nigeria, Labour and Civil society Leaders, Women groups, Youth movements, the coalition of Persons with special needs, Professional icons, eminent national leaders and other prominent stakeholders in Nigeria.
NIM and other stakeholders had resolved to “work in unison under the umbrella of the newly formed Grand National Political Coalition of the diverse peoples, movements and stakeholders of Nigeria towards overthrowing the current decadent pauperizing political order in Nigeria and to replace it with a prospering democratic and inclusive political system and culture.”
It had after the March 21 summit in Abuja maintained that it has become incumbent on the Nigerian citizens to rise against the myriad of crises troubling the country and set a new dimension that will set the country on the path to a new direction especially now that the country is drifting towards disunity.
“Following the adoption of the manifesto and constitution of our newly inaugurated movement and a careful overview of the presentations, deliberations and inputs of our leaders and cadres at the 2018 Grand Political Summit held at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja on the 21st Day of March, 2018, NIM hereafter states the following as our Agreements and Resolutions,” the website said.
The agreements:
“We are collectively unequivocal that: Nigeria is tilting rapidly towards social and political disharmony and anarchy. Therefore urgent political actions must be put in place by all well -meaning folks to stem the drift and rebuild social cohesion amongst the Nigerian citizenry
“The present governance structure of Nigeria must therefore be constitutionally redefined and structured to be more democratic and citizen inclusive.
“There must be a concerted drive to bring about a new Nigeria that works for all and such new Nigeria, in our view, must guarantee the safety and freedom of each citizen of Nigeria.
“That wanton killings in whatever guise of Nigerians is unacceptable and viewed in serious terms as pure failure of governance and political system at both the National and Sub –national strata.
“Every Nigerian adult must as a matter of social responsibility obtain a voters card and participate in the recruitment process of public office holders, who seek for elective offices, and that the Grand Coalition as an interventionist force should interface with all willing political forces who share the above stand towards developing standards for all aspirants or candidates aspiring for elective office in the 2019 elections,” the coalition said.
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
