PDP led CUPP sets up four committees to solidify agreement
Chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Tom Ikimi has blamed some forces within the All Progressive Party (APC) for the crisis being witnessed in the ruling party.
Ikimi noted that those who hijacked the party had failed to manage the fairs of the party very well, hence the crisis.
This is as the PDP led Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) sets up four committees to solidify the agreement signed by the 39 member-coalition. The committees are : Contact and Mobilization; Blue print and manifestos; Strategy and Planning; and Medial and Publicity.
The coalition was set up on the 9th of July as an alternative vehicle by the political parties to wrestle power from the ruling APC.
Ikimi is the chairman of the 23 member committee of Blueprint and manifesto, which includes Babaginda Aliyu, Olisa Agbakoba, Olu Agunloye.
Mallam Bolaji Abdulllahi, who recent resigned from his position as the spokesperson of the ruling party was announced as the head of the Media and Publicity committee, which includes Kazeem Afegbua, Kola Ologbondiyan etc.
The Strategy and Planning committee is headed by Kawu Baraje of the RAPC and it also includes Prof. Rufai Akali, while the Contact and Mobilization committee have as members Ibrahim Kazaure, Senator Dino Melaye and others.
Speaking to reporters after the inauguration of the committees, Ikimi said “I was involved in the merger arrangement that produced the All Progress Congress (APC) unfortunately, some people who hijack the arrangement could not manage it and that is why we are seeing the demise of APC now.”
Speaking on the setting up of the committees, Ikimi said “I am pleased since they came together, they have been waxing stronger and stronger, not even one of the members has left the coalition and every time we meet, we are building our strength. Today, we have witnessed the inauguration of four very important committee of this coalition and its membership is drawn among all the 39 political parties. I am pleased to serve as the Chairman of the Blue print and Manifesto committee, which indeed will be that document that we will present to Nigerians that will contain all the things we will want to do for Nigerians in the next administration. Am happy that we are making progress that the steering committee is working well, and we are at the point of actual take off now.
“It seems to me that the coalition of United Political Parties is the next best thing for Nigeria as we stand.
“I hope we will work in accordance of our agreement and CUPP will remain stronger and stronger.”
In his opening remark, the Chairman of the coalition steering committee, Olagunsoye Oyinlola posited that the inauguration represent another phase of the struggle to wrestle power from the APC.
He said, “The country cries for revival. We must not and ill not abandon Nigeria in the hands of the current officials who have convinced everyone that they are incompetent and incapable of driving Nigeria to prosperity. We have seen the people impoverished to the extent that the Brooklyn institute recently crowned Nigeria as the Poverty Capital of the world. We have seen how insecure and unhappy our people have become. We are also appalled at how the government is lost and how it shamelessly blames its failures on the past. Our people are helpless. They look up to us for deliverance. We must not fail them.”
Charging members of the committees, Oyinlola noted that the inauguration of the various committees is a further consolidation of whatever has been achieved by the Coalition since the signing of the MOU.
“The coming together of these parties was an unprecedented political action in this country. Even our opponents knew that what we did was a watershed in the quest to redirect the affairs of Nigeria. Since that event, a lot more has happened. We have seen patriotic elected and appointed officials leaving the sinking ship of the ruling party for this coalition. In days and weeks to come, we will see more positive actions that will convince every Nigerian that this coalition is the government in waiting,” he added.
He also stressed that “each of these sub- committees has duties which are closely linked with the duties of every other ones. This is to tell us that the sub- committees must work in harmonious ways that will ensure the realization of the ultimate objective of the coalition.
“This cardinal objective is known to all of us. It is to wrest power from the APC in the 2019 elections and take Nigeria to prosperity. And by the grace of God, we won’t fail. However, we have to work hard knowing that the destiny of our country and those of millions of our countrymen and omen depend on the success of this movement. As I stated at the MOU signing ceremony, these are not the best of times for our country. We have all seen how our country has been, in the last three years, slipping progressively into socio-economic and political coma.
“When we signed the MOU days ago, the Nigerian people were elated at the coming together of patriotic political parties. However, they felt the same way when a merger was consummated in the build up to the 2015 elections. Regrettably, the All Progressives Congress which came out of the 2015 exercise has failed the people and we all know that that tells us is that we have a lot of work to do. We must in words, action and conduct show clearly to our people that this coalition is not just another gang- up to capture power for self-aggrandizement. We must plan well and work hard to wrest power from the APC and use the resultant power for the good of our people. ” He therefore appealed to all members of the committee to “be in one committee or the other here to be selfless in discharging our responsibilities. Again, I repeat as I said days ago, the spirit of a new Nigeria has been born and is already at work. The sub-committees we have just inaugurated, here represent another phase in the offensive we launched to reclaim our country.’ God Almighty will crown our efforts with success. We shall not fail. ”
