A group of seven opposition political parties, on Wednesday, December 7, united under a newly-formed coalition aiming to bolster Democracy in the country.
During a meeting held at the Social Democratic Party’s national secretariat, in Abuja, seven opposition parties officially formed a new movement called the Coalition of Concerned Political Parties.
According to The Nation reports, the coalition comprises the Peoples Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress, Social Democratic Party, Peoples Allied Movement, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Young Progressives Party, and Zenith Labour Party.
In November, while meeting with the Inter-party Advisory Council, PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar raised concerns about the potential for Nigeria to become a one-party state.
He emphasised the urgency for opposition parties to unite to strengthen democracy and prevent such an outcome.
The newly-formed coalition of Concerned Political Parties, expressing deep concern about the escalating instability in Nigeria, has called upon the country’s judicial system to act as a guardian of democracy
Speaking on the need for the coalition, the national chairman of the SDP, Shehu Gabam said: “We looked into the issue of the judiciary. The judiciary is the last hope of the common man if it still stands.
“We are worried about the level of instability the country is going through. If you look at recent developments in Zamfara, Nasarawa, Kano, and Plateau states, it is very clear that the judiciary must exercise extreme caution with some of its decisions.
“The judiciary should strengthen their conviction towards delivering judgments that can stand the test of time. They should not allow us politicians to infiltrate their rank, sanity, and capacity to deliver judgments that are internationally sound and can be recognised.”
The SDP chairman, however, said that the coalition is not for a merger or against the Inter-Party Advisory Council.
Speaking on behalf of the acting national chairman, Umar Damagum, the acting National Secretary of the PDP, Setonji Koshoedo, emphasized that the newly formed coalition will serve as a formidable force in opposition to the current government.
