NORTHERN OPPOSITION SET TO UNVEIL MEGA POLITICAL PARTY

NORTHERN OPPOSITION SET TO UNVEIL MEGA POLITICAL PARTY

Northern leaders in the opposition block are re-strategising and are spear heading efforts to form a new mega coalition political party that would be used to pursue the interests of the region and its people in the 2027 general elections.

In a communique issued after the meeting of the National Political Consultative Group (NPCG), which took place in Abuja on Sunday, the Northern opposition block stated that the name of the new mega political party will be announced soon.

The document, which was signed by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, who is the Chairman of the NPCG, said that delegates drawn from all the 19 states of the federation and Abuja resolved that the North must proceed as a united front in making a political choice to ensure the region gets its maximum return in national political participation.

The meeting expressed serious concern over the worsening security situation in the region, which it said, has also increased poverty, led to loss of many lives and property worth millions of naira, apart from tripling unemployment and destitution in the entire northern region.

According to the communique, insecurity has reached unprecedented levels under the present administration, leading to mass poverty, hunger, destitution and the collapse of education at the primary and secondary levels.

The meeting noted that the region and indeed the nation needs selfless leaders who will be forthright in the management of political parties as well as public sector governance.

Participants also “Decried the impunity of elected leaders who run away with the peoples mandate by purporting to make decisions for their constituents without consultation, citing the recent developments in which elected state governors and legislators are usurping the power of the people by endorsing other persons and themselves for re-election to political offices without reference to their constituents, advising that constituents should sanction such elected officials to serve as deterrent.

The communique said that participants “Agreed on the need to escalate the group’s initiative to all the nineteen (19) states and FCT through the provision of the appropriate template and resolved that the region must prioritise and promote industrialization and high productivity in all sectors in order to exit the present economic quagmire.”

It was further resolved at the meeting that going forward, the North will only support candidates with enforceable agreement for the purpose of ensuring and protecting the interest of the region, irrespective of the state of origin of the candidate.

The communique continued: “That, going forward, the North must prescribe its support for candidates at elections on enforceable agreement for the purpose of ensuring and protecting the informed interests of the region, irrespective of where the candidates come from.”

The meeting finally resolved to set up committees to facilitate implementation of decisions and resolutions reached at the meeting.

Meanwhile the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has roundly condemned the recent endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2027 presidential race by the APC National Working Committee, the Progressive Governors Forum, and the party’s National Assembly members at the APC National Summit held on Thursday, describing the move as very disturbing for democracy.

In a statement issued at the weekend and signed by its National Chairman, Mallam Falalu Bello, OFR, the

Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) said the endorsements, was driven by desperation rather than genuine democratic will and it “exposes the APC’s attempt to cling to power through orchestrated endorsements rather than the genuine voice of the Nigerian people.

“History and recent political realities teach us a vital lesson: power is not held by tactics alone; it is sustained by the people’s trust and belief. As illustrated by global examples, even the most formidable political machinery crumbles when the people’s confidence is lost.”

Using Ivory Coast’s 2010 election, as an example, the PRP recalled that “President Laurent Gbagbo, armed with fake endorsements like President Tinubu, state structures, and resources, sought to cling to power. Yet, he was ultimately rejected by the voters. Their decision was rooted in the collective memory of hardship—hunger, poverty, and economic frustration.

“The Ivorian’ refusal demonstrated that Hunger doesn’t forget, and no amount of political machinery and propaganda can replace the voice of a suffering populace. Similarly, in Zambia, Edgar Lungu’s control over the media, state machinery, and finances were not enough and he was overturned by a youthful opposition candidate, Hakainde Hichilema, who transformed people’s anger into votes and ultimately changed the political landscape, proving that people vote with their pain, not party loyalty.

“Power, even when fortified by the strongest structures, is vulnerable when the people no longer believe in its efficiency and legitimacy. The case of Yahya Jammeh in Gambia further underscores this point. Despite his attempt to rule for “a billion years,” the people’s will ultimately prevailed, and even his loyal army stepped back when the ballot spoke louder than propaganda.

“Power, when rooted in the people’s trust, is resilient; when based on desperation and manipulation, it is fragile. That’s to say when the people no longer believe in their leaders, even the most elaborate strategies turn to noise, defections become theatre, endorsements become comedy, and power inevitably slips away.”

The PRP stated that Nigeria’s situation echoes this truth and added that “(President)Tinubu’s political machinery and endorsements may seem formidable now, but they cannot silence the cries of the masses suffering under skyrocketing fuel prices, failing infrastructure, joblessness, insecurity, brazen corruption, and a crumbling economy.

“The people’s disillusionment is palpable and when citizens whisper, ‘This is not what we voted for,’ it signals a fundamental disconnect between leadership and the governed. And the above indices are the real ballots that will determine the future, not mere endorsements or political alliances.”

Continuing, the PRP said “the APC’s current move to endorse Tinubu’s candidacy appears to be a classic case of a desperate power grab—an attempt to cement dominance through endorsements and political theatre rather than delivery of genuine democratic dividends. As history and current realities reveal, no matter how crowded or well-rehearsed the political stage becomes, the people’s voice—their pain and aspiration—remains the ultimate arbiter of true power.”

The PRP called on the APC and President Bola Tinubu to recognize that democracy is not just about endorsements or party machinery; “it is about delivering tangible services, security, and dignity to the people. Any attempt to undermine this fundamental principle through desperation is doomed to fail.

“We stand with the Nigerian masses who are crying out for real change, not power grab. The future belongs to those who understand that power must be rooted in the people’s trust, not in the desperation of those seeking to hold onto it at all costs,” the statement concluded.