Thirty four political parties in Ogun State, under the aegis of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), have adopted former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar as their preferred candidate in the presidential election coming up in February. Rising from an enlarged meeting held on Thursday at the Sagamu residence of the former Governor of Ogun State and Deputy Chairman, PDP Presidential Campaign Council, (South), Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the leadership of the political parties and their candidates at all levels unanimously said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed in its electoral promises to the people, hence their decision to endorse what they described as “a credible alternative in the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar going by his leadership qualities and track records of achievements both in the private and public sectors.” Addressing the gathering which also had the representatives of Afenifere; the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, the Igbo, Hausa and South-South Communities, as well as that of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Chief Razak Eyiowuawi, the National Chairman of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) and Assistant Secretary of the Steering Committee of CUPP, the body said that its main aim is to “save Nigeria from insecurity, violence and hardship which has become the order of the day and the only way out of the impending danger is to vote out the ruling party by coming together as one united front to usher in a new administration.” The coming elections, he said, is not for Nigerians as individuals but for incoming generations. He also eulogized Otunba Daniel as a political navigator who has inspired a lot of people in his visionary ideas over the years with his political influence cutting across all divides. Speaking on behalf of the Ogun Labour Party, its former Chairman and House of Representatives candidate, Comrade Niyi Osoba said it would be unfavourable to Nigerians if the APC is returned to power under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari whom he claimed “has constantly exhibited lack of capacity to govern.” Otunba Tayo Onayemi, former local government chairman and Alliance for Democracy (AD) chieftain, in his own contribution, said “the incompetence of the Buhari Administration is very conspicuous as a government which has been operating as a failure since inception which calls for a change.” In his remarks, Otunba Daniel thanked the leadership of the coalition for what he described as its sensitiveness and concern for the nation’s future and welfare of her citizenry. According to him, the current situation in the country calls for a radical departure from the status quo and that this could only be achieved through collective efforts and engagement of all well-meaning Nigerians irrespective of their political inclination. According to him, “What you have done today has further driven home the decision by 47 political parties throughout the federation which had earlier pledged their support for Atiku Abubakar at the national level. “it will be recalled that the current government based its campaign on three major issues of provision of security, fighting corruption and improvement of the economy none of which they executed as we speak”. “Instead, they revised the fortunes of the country from one of the largest economies in the third world during former President Jonathan’s era to poverty capital of the world according to global statistics. “It has come to a stage where we have to rescue the country and this cannot be successfully done by one political party but a joint effort of all”. “It therefore becomes expedient to present a formidable united front to wrest power form the incumbent party, APC”. “The choice of Atiku as the preferred candidate is germane because everybody will have a sense of belonging in the government of inclusiveness of the PDP under the watch of the former Vice President Atiku who has promised to restructure the country on assumption of office”, Daniel concluded. Also present at the meeting were the Chairman of Afenifere in Ogun State, Chief Kunle Majekodunmi, Ogun PDP Deputy Chairman, Chief Ibukun Ojosipe and Barrister Gboyega Okenla.
