•New Opposition Will Defeat Jonathan-led PDP — Onu
CHIEFTAINS of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may have resolved their differences over sharing of positions for the proposed mega party, as the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Saturday, disclosed that nine positions have been given to it under the merger deal.
In line with this development, its National Chairman, Ogbonnaya Onu, during the party's National Executive Council (NEC) Saturday, boasted that APC had "what it takes to beat a President Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in 2015.
The positions include National Secretary, National Financial Secretary, Deputy Organising Secretary, National Welfare Secretary, Deputy National Publicity Secretary and two slots each for Vice Chairman and Ex-officio Secretary.
The NEC further set up a committee headed by Onu to keep discussing the merger deal with other component political parties.
Other members of the committee include the National Secretary, National Treasurer, former and serving governors of the party.
Speaking in reaction to President Goodluck Jonathan's statement that no amount of collaboration by opposition parties would unseat PDP in 2015,Onu said the PDP-led administration would be ousted by APC if the election would be free and fair.
The ANPP chieftain called for new measures to enhance credible elections.
He said: "I am confident that with the APC, realising the opposition's goal of producing the next president is possible. Serious efforts must be made to ensure that every vote counts. Every effort must be made to ensure that a conducive environment is created to make elections free and fair.
Onu, whose ANPP is a key member of the APC alliance, urged supporters of the party to increase their efforts at actualising its goal."
He stated that the three major opposition parties forming APC — Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), ANPP and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) — have fulfilled merger conditions prescribed in the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
The meeting was observed by a delegation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Guardian