2019: Opposition parties to form coalition against el-Rufai

The Conference of Nigerian Political parties (CNPP) comprising opposition political parties, Kaduna State chapter has said that they were working together to form a coalition against the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Nasir el-Rufai in the 2019 governorship election. CNPP through its state Chairman, Umar Ibrahim Mairakumi, told New Telegraph in an exclusive interview that talks were ongoing to present a consensus gubernatorial candidate under the auspices of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) to oust the governor. Speaking on the Muslim/ Muslim ticket presented by the APC candidate, the CNPP boss said it’s like you are just telling some groups I don’t need you.” According to him, the APC had lost the election because it failed to put into consideration the political dynamics and security situation in the state, adding that a fair composition was needed in administering a state like Kaduna. He said: “It is a very strong miscalculation for a politician to do that kind of thing; Muslim/Muslim ticket, in a state like Kaduna.

I believe that in a situation like this, one has to tread very carefully.” “For el-Rufai to just sit down and said he is just going to pick anybody, especially when you look at the pedigree of southern Kaduna people and politicians from that zone, for him to go and pick somebody that is truly not a true representation of the state of affairs, is not really fair.

“In the civil service, the population of the northern and southern Kaduna is about 50/50, so for someone to say that he is not going to look at the political dynamics from that side is not fair and democratically, it is not a good calculation. “We are talking politics now and not sentiments, we have to be realistic. Is just like in Nigeria now, you will say you want to do a Muslim/Muslim ticket as far as the present dispensation is concerned, that is not feasible.

So, how can somebody say he is going to do that in Kaduna? “Even if you look at the security implications, you are just telling some groups that I don’t need you. I believe there should be a fair representation of so many things including faith.” On how the elections might pan out, the CNPP boss said: “The writing is already clear for all to see, APC has lost the elections, it is very clear, this is a very wrong calculation, when you look at the Christian population, their voting power you will know that it is wrong.

“The issue is that if this arrangement is coming from them, to say okay from our region, this is who we are presenting as a running mate, whether a Christian or a Muslim it’s okay. But for you to sit down singlehandedly and decide for them; it’s undemocratic, you don’t do that. APC has lost the election.” On the strength of the opposition he said: “The opposition parties, including the PDP and others, we are very strong. The PDP in particular has a very strong candidate and when you look at the other opposition political parties that are emerging they also have strong candidates.”