ANPP National Chairman, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo

The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has said the opposition parties in the country have resolved to wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general election.

National Chairman of the party, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who addressed journalists Wednesday at the ANPP headquarters in Abuja, said opposition parties were strong enough to defeat the PDP at the poll in order to form a government at the centre.

“We want to assure you that the ANPP and indeed members of the opposition are strong, ready and willing to take over government and govern Nigeria in a way that Nigerians will wonder and imagine whether the problems of the last 13 years had ever existed,” he said.

Onu, who dismissed statements allegedly credited to the President’s Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, that opposition parties were weak, said the strategy being adopted by the opposition would surprise Nigerians.

“Opposition parties will surprise Nigerians and those who think that we are not strong. With time they will be forced to change their mind,” he said.

Speaking on apparent lull being witnessed in the merger talks by opposition parties, Onu said discussions was still on-going.

He said discussions among the opposition parties had reached advanced stages, adding that ANPP had inaugurated an expanded 20-member committee to drive the process on behalf of the party.

He said as a matter of strategy, the parties to talks have decided to go about it secretly until a time when they deem it fit to open up to Nigerians on the arrangement.

“We in ANPP are not interested in publicity our interest is to ensure that the merger plan works.  I have met with leaders of major opposition parties but have decided not to make it public.  We are conscious of the fact that it is not easy for the parties to meet and agree on merger.

“Thought it has not worked in the country to the satisfaction of everyone, we are determined to see it work out this time around.  We are hopeful that our plan will succeed and that God will crown our efforts with success,” he said.

According to him, what is more demoralising and indeed the worst situation is that our country’s unity and oneness has never been threatened as it is today

Onu also spoke on the move by opposition parties to articulate a common viewpoint with regards to electoral reforms in the ongoing constitutional amendment.

He said members of the opposition parties had met in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital to take a stand on some areas of the electoral law which required reforms.

He said top among the issues for which amendment is being sort is the order of the general elections.

Tuesday’s massacre of students of Mubi Polytechnic in Adamawa State and the massive flood incident across the country also attracted the concern of the ANPP Chairman, who said the party was disturbed by the spate of killings and insecurity in the country.
“The country has witnessed excessive flooding in many states of the country.  The water level in the affected states were very high which led to the flooding.  Many people were left homeless and major roads were blocked. ANPP is worried that FG has not taken serious effort to take care of the affected victims of flood on a permanent basis except for the temporary relief!” he added.

Also the party chairman expressed concern over the plight of the people of Bakassi, adding that government should try and look into their compliant and possibly appeal against the judgement of the ICJ since it has been established that enough grounds existed for the review of the case.