by Tanko Yakasai

The importance of this merger cannot be over emphasized simply because PDP’s roots are deep in rigging, election manipulation, voter intimidation and many more…

The only thing certain about the 2015 elections is that campaign started the day President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was sworn into office, May 29th, 2011. Since the return of democracy in 1999, I doubt there’s been any election that has started this early. But what I want us to focus on in this article is that, will it be business (PDP) as usual? or will the real opposition truly stand up and be reckoned with?

Since 1999, when AD and APP formed an alliance with the aim of defeating the PDP and up until now, opposition parties at their individual capacity, or collectively have tried all things possible to dislodge the ruling PDP from power at the centre, but they have always failed woefully. This is partly due to lack of sincerity of purpose, or ” “irreconcilable” differences, especially before the 2011 elections, when ACN and CPC couldn’t come together and form an alliance, or a merger. This time around though, from all indications, there have been concerted efforts to make possible this much needed alliance or merger. As preparations are at the final stage, with the parties forming merger talks committees to finalise this merger, General Muhammadu Buhari as well as Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu have both assured us that all will be concluded halfway through this year.

The importance of this merger cannot be over emphasized simply because PDP’s roots are deep in rigging, election manipulation, voter intimidation and many more (of course with collaboration from some INEC staffs as well as the Police) that it will be close to impossible for the opposition to arrest the situation and wrestle power from them without putting their heads together. For so long Nigerians have been clamouring for this and even the PDP knows this to be a real threat to their grab on power as such. they are well aware that such a move will mark the beginning of its end together with the hardship, corruption, mismanagement, insecurity and blatant display of incompetence inflicted upon us by them for the past fourteen years.

Let us hypothetically assume that the merger talks yield a fruitful result, and by the end of the year we have a new, unified opposition under one roof, each of these blocs, (ACN, CPC, and others) will bring the best it has to offer to complete the equation and take us a step closer to winning the 2015 election.

With Buhari and his unshakable fan base majorly from the north, and Tinubu’s firm grip of the ACN and its five governors and other elected members cementing the South west zone, as well as the votes that we’ll get from the South East, victory is certain, God’s Willing.  The newly formed party will also go to areas that it is weak to sell its manifesto. The newly formed party must also present credible candidates from councillorship positions up to the President.

We must realize that this merger is not solely about winning. The newly formed party must present to the Nigerian people a workable manifesto that is much different to the ruling party’s. They must present a totally new face to Nigerians who have for long suffered neglect from the ruling party. The leaders of this party must be ready to roll up their sleeves and work day and night for all Nigerians. They must provide social services to all and take care of the poor and vulnerable. They must have a plan to expand our economy and concentrate on non-oil sectors such as agriculture and solid minerals. Providing employment opportunities to the teeming youths must be a cornerstone of their manifesto.  The ‘Nigerian Dream’ must be brought to the fore once again. People must be made to realize that they all have a role in saving this nation and being a part of the journey to the promised land. North! South! East! West! Nigerians must unite so the nation can truly take its rightful place in the committee of nations.

Let me end this article by calling on ALL Nigerians yearning for change to support this merger, so that we can collectively come together and finally bury the PDP. Let us open a new chapter in this democratic dispensation where the rule of law is paramount, where we will have the Nigeria of our dreams, so that things will begin to look better, and change the direction this country is heading for the better. The PDP is jittery, they can smell the air of change and they are shaking up to their bone marrow. Let us sustain this tempo till we kick them out of the Villa, it’s possible, it’s doable, and we have all that it takes, including the platform to achieve this.

Let this merger be a MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE, if that’s what it will take to make it. For God knows the Nigerian masses have suffered a long deal and deserve some respite.

Long live Nigerians and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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Tanko Yakasai is a proud husband and father of two. He is a broadcaster with Freedom Radio, Kano. Yakasai believes in the unity and development of Nigeria, which paved his way into community activities through NGOs in transforming our society for the better. He is a registered member of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.