Seven political parties have reportedly indicated interest to collapse their structures and form a mega party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
A former presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections and former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kingsley Moghalu, stated this when he hosted the candidate of African Democratic Party (ADC) in the November 6th governorship election in Anambra State, Nzeh Akachukwu.
Though he did not disclose details of the ongoing merger talks, he, however, said identities of the political parties will be revealed soon. He said the merger talks, when eventually unveiled, will posed a major threat to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He said the sudden U-turn by the Senate on electronic transmission of results, ahead of the critical general elections, gives a glimpse of hope that the 2023 general elections will be transparent. Moghalu who recently defected to ADC, also called on Nigerians, especially young people, to register in order to be eligible to vote in 2023.
He said: “As concerns the National level the ADC is a very strong party that is growing stronger. It was founded in 2005 and it has been a consistent party. All their presidential candidates from Pat Utomi in 2007 to Dr. Obadiah Mailafiah in 2019 have been intellectuals.
“But the party is also very grassroots oriented. So the combination of ideas, intellect and a grassroots approach to politics, that combinations I think is what marks out the ADC and we hope to be a key part of a much larger third force that is building up for the presidential elections which will include a merger of about six or seven or more parties.
“So, I believe that the 2023 elections, the citizens of Nigeria should not allow it to be a contest between two sides of the same coin because there is no difference. It should be a battle between the old and the new – between the old Nigerian and the possibilities for a new Nigeria. That is what 2023 should be.
