30 parties okay presidential, N/Assembly polls same day

Over 30 registered opposition parties under the auspices of Coalition for a New Nigeria (CNN) have called for a review of the 2019 general elections time table saying states assembly and National Assembly elections should hold same day before the governorship and presidential elections to come two weeks after.

They made the call yesterday in Abuja after a meeting of the leadership of the coalition.

The Independent Electoral National Commission (INEC) on January 9 released the 2019 elections time table, scheduling the Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 16, 2019 and governorship and state legislative elections for March 2, 2019.

However, penultimate Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted to amend the Electoral Act by scheduling the National Assembly election to hold first, followed by gubernatorial and state houses of assembly while the presidential election was billed to be conducted last.

But the CNN after its meeting, suggested that the states assembly and National Assembly elections should be held on 16 February 2019 while the governorship and presidential election should hold on the 2 March 2019 to forestall the negative influence of bandwagon effect.

Members of the coalition formed in June 2017, include National Conscience Party (NCP), Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA), Democratic People’s Congress (DPC) Labour Party (LP), People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN) and Action Alliance (AA).

Also included are Alliance for Democracy (AD), Democratic People’s Party (DPP), People’s Democratic Change (PDC), Better Nigeria People’s Party (BNPP), National Action Council (NAC), United Democratic Party (UDP) and Democratic Alternative (DA) among others.

The national chairman of the coalition, who is also the national chairman of Labour Party (LP), while reading the group’s position also suggested the immediate setting up of a Government National Unity (GNU) that would include various shades of opinions and interests in the country and also the creation of a Ministry of National Integration.

On his part, the spokesman of the coalition and national chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Dr Yunusa Tanko, said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has failed Nigerians as he lacked the strength, vigour and competence to run the country.