*Says Our Leaders have not been Consulted
*Eminent Leaders Should Eschew Multiplicity of Alliances
By John Nwokocha, Abuja
The Coalition of Political Parties in Nigeria (CUPP) has frowned at what it describes as “the inclusion of the name of CUPP as part of the coalition”, saying that its leaders were not consulted by the new political movement known as National Consultative Front (NCF).
CUPP says that its members who attended the coalition talks in the NCF’s meetings did so on their individual capacity, not on behalf of CUPP.
In a swift reaction to the emergence of the NCF, the CUPP in a statement yesterday and signed by its spokesman, Chief Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, said it attention was drawn to a communiqué issued by a new political front with some select opposition figures. Although the CUPP welcomes the regrouping of opposition against the backdrop of “crass performance of the present administration’, necessitating well meaning Nigerians to meet and consult on how best to “reclaim our country from where they have dumped her waiting to tip over” , it knocks the NCF for not consulting it explaining “CUPP leadership has never been consulted, hence it will amount to misrepresentation in bad faith for those leaders to continue to use the name of CUPP.”
The CUPP however advised the eminent leaders to eschew multiplicity of alliances stressing that history has shown that it is the easiest way for the ruling party to compromise the opposition and continue with its misrule. It urged the new political front to explore areas of closing ranks with the CUPP for common goals. “Let us work together to defeat the common enemy that has destroyed our country and made our people poorer”, it said.
It would be recalled that a new Pan-Nigerian consultative political front emerged yesterday, with about 30 eminent Nigerians, which include Alhaji Ghali Na’Aba, fomer Speaker of the House of Reps, Chief Olis Agbakoba (SAN), Dr Oby Ezekwesile, Femi Falana (SAN), Col. Abubakar Umar Dangiwa (rtd), Mailafia Obadiah, Prof Jibo Ibrahim, Prof Chidi Odinkalu, Prof Pat Utomi, Mallam Shehu Sani, Comrade Isa Aremu, Mallam Tanko Yinusa, Amb Nkoyo Toyo, Lady Fuke Awolowo, Barr Dan Nwanyawu, Prof Anthony Kila, Hajia Khadijat Abdullahi, Saadatu Falila Hamu, Peter Ameh, Prof Remi Sonaya and Dr Osagie Obayuawana among others, as members of the group. The NCF says in its communiqué it was inspired as a new political intervention “ for rescuing our dear country from the exploitative grip of a lackluster leadership and the manipulation of a bickering factionalised ruling elites in Nigeria’.
The NCF further said a new ideological mass movement shall be initiated to embark on an immediate mass mobilization of the nooks and crannies of the country for popular mass action towards political constitution reforms that is citizen-driven and process-led in engendering a new peoples’ constitution for a new Nigeria that can work for all. “The new movement shall also, without delay, mobilize for the economic wellbeing and prosperity of all Nigerians”. It stated.
