Election Watch: Two Political parties merge to battle APC in 2019 (DETAILS)

The Nigerian Intervention Movement (NIM), on Wednesday adopted Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) as the political party to contest the 2019 general elections.

The political movement announced its adoption of ANN, a relatively new party, at a gathering on Lagos.

NIM is chaired by former National President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Olisa Agbakoba with Dr Abdul Jelil-Tafawa Balewa as its co-chair.

It was gathered that prominent members of NIM and executive members of the ANN were present at the gathering.

They included Debe Odimegwu-Ojukwu, son of late founder of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Odimegwu Ojukwu; Mr Fela Durotoye, and Mrs Elishama Ideh both presidential aspirants under the ANN platform.

Speaking at the gathering, Agbakoba said the decision of NIM to fuse into NIM was borne out of the need to realise its vision for Nigeria.

Represented by NIM’s, Deputy-Director-General, Mallam Nasir Kuta, he said the limited time to the general elections would not permit NIM to register as a political party to pursue its vision.

Agbakoba said the movement settled for ANN because the party shared in its vision and ideology to build a better Nigeria.

“It is trite to state that the majority of Nigerians have been overwhelmed by the extant quality of politics going on in our dear country as manifested by self-serving politics.

“For us in NIM, the whole essence of political leadership and government is the welfare and wellbeing of the citizenry.

“Therefore, there is need to restore hope to this country. The NIM was formed on 28th November 2017 by a new breed leaders of conscience towards breathing a new life of constitutional democracy and good governance trajectory that will engender a new Nigeria that works for all of us.

“Therefore having come to the reasoned conclusion that political parties are pillars for nurturing popular democracy and nurturing good governance and that political parties that have superintended over the affairs of the country have failed.

“And given the timeline of the general elections, it was our resolve to adopt a fresh and untainted political party with elemental potential of delivering dividends of democracy towards realizing a new Nigeria of our dream”, he said.

Agbakoba added that ANN was chosen after NIM had scanned no fewer than 17 parties that shared its vision.

He said ANN was the only party appropriate for NIM to pursue its PVC driven ballot revolution in 2019.

He said with the adoption of ANN, the political movement would gradually wind up and fuse into the party democratically.

Agbakoba urged Nigerians to join the ANN with the NIM in order to present a credible alternative in 2019.

He also urged citizens to obtain their PVCs as it was the instrument with which to elect their preferred leaders.

Speaking, National Chairman of ANN, Dr Jay Osi-Samuels said the adoption of ANN by NIM was historic.

He said the marriage of the two platforms was borne out of the need to give Nigerians a credible alternative in 2019.

Samuels said the coming of the two platforms meant they were both one and that the structure now belonged to both groups.

He urged Nigerians to trust the platform to deliver the goods in 2019.

“We also urged citizens to obtain their PVCs as that is what they need to realise the country of their dream”, he said.