It was the late sage, Dr. M.I.Okpara that said and I quote “First fool no be fool, na second fool be proper foolish.

While I will throw my weight of support behind any arrangement that will bring a lasting solution to Nigeria’s leadership problems, I must not fail to prompt us of the widely held notion which says “that you cannot solve a problem with the same mindset that created same problem”

Let me remind Nigerians that a similar realignment of political forces happened two years to the 2015 general elections with 70% of these elements that came together in 2013 now gathered again at the same venue where the 2013 merger was perfected and hosted by a former Nigeria’s foreign minister and member of the PDP, Chief Tom Ikimi, convening the first meeting that gave birth to what we have today as APC, four leading political parties ACN,APGA,CPC AND ANPP went into a merger agreement with the sole purpose of getting the then president Dr. Goodluck Jonathan out by any means possible.

While their success lasted, it became a herculean task for them to form a government given the haste upon which they came together which did not allow them the opportunity of going into an ideology based, visionary and productive governance agenda, and the resultant effect of that singular decision by a group of Nigerian politicians who felt dismayed by what was happening in the country then and probably their personal grievances with the system but obviously not borne out of a genuine desire to right the wrongs as it were for the common interest of all.

While the PDP is championing the coalition with some aggrieved set of APC members known as R-APC who felt shortchanged by Buhari’s position sharing formula which seems to favour only his tribesmen or close confidants, another set includes those that lost out in the intra party conflicts that rocked the APC, the SDP have always been known to form Alliances with other political forces during electioneering, and the rest of the other 33 partners that made up the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) are little political formations that are yet to gain political prominence within the polity.

I acknowledge the democratic rights of political forces to synergize, I am of the firm conviction that the focal point of any such political decision should be in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians, but I am totally convinced that the fate of the depressed poor voting masses were neither considered nor put into focus while the personal interests, properties and future of the extremely rich political elites remain their major concern, I am still looking up to that coalition that will be hinged on the security and unity of the nation, I am yet to witness that synergy that will be formed for the sake of the economy, when will our politicians form an alliance that will improve electricity generation, is there any law barring our leaders from coming together to protest the state of our hospitals, schools, transport system and the social security of the average Nigerian?

Assuming without conceding that the coming together of these strange bed fellows has some noble intentions devoid of selfish interests that will bring about sanity and development in the economy and polity other than a quick fix approach to wrest power from the incumbent as we have seen in the past, one would have expected that they would have come up with a clear cut agreement that will create room for a successful transition and forestall high level unpreparedness for governance, a price we are still paying today as a nation.

While we are looking for solutions to fundamental issues of governance, it is pertinent to note that mergers are welcome, but the sensibilities of the common Nigerian should not be further insulted by tactically using us as weapons to fight personal wars, any alignment that is not transparent enough to capture the interest and welfare of the ordinary Nigerian is definitely not a solution to our problem.

Uche Aguoru

Writes from Umuahia

CUPP is jus another gathering of devourers just like APC. Same group of evil poliitical scavengers

Wetin dem turk ?