I Am Ready For A Coalition – Fela Durotoye Declares. Fela Durotoye, the presidential candidate of Alliance for New Nigeria, ANN has just showed his interest in aligning with two of his co-contenders, Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress (AAC) and Kingsley Moghalu of Young Progressive’s Party in the forthcoming February 16 poll.
He made this intention known sequel to the astonishing declaration of Dr Oby Ezekwesili’s withdrawal from the presidential bid.
Ezekwesili, the flagbearer for Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, stated in her press statement seen by Nigeriancablewsonline.com that she is set to form coalition with other like minds in order to defeat the two major politcial parties of All Progressive’s Congress and Peoples Democratic Party.
“Over the past three months, I have been in private extended talks with other candidates to make a coalition possible that would allow Nigerians to exercise choice without feeling helplessly saddled with the #APCPDP.”
“In doing so, I have not hesitated to offer my willingness to step down my candidacy in order to facilitate the emergence of a strong and viable alternative behind which Nigerians can line up in our collective search for a new beginning”, the former Nigerian minister partly stressed.
In welcoming this new development, Mr. Durotoye hinted on an open window to re-ally with his old PACT members whose process of selecting a consensus candidate in August, 2018 fell apart.
“I have always believed that leadership is about service & sacrifice & today, I would like to commend Dr. (Mrs) Oby Ezekwesili for leading the charge to forming a viable coalition to presenting a Consensus Candidate for the 2019 Presidential elections.
“To ensure an alliance is formed and we present a united front, I AM READY to come into coalition talks with my brothers Omoyele Sowore and Prof. Kingsley Moghalu and to submit myself to any transparent process that will help us arrive at a selection of a Consensus Candidate from amongst us”, the statement signed by Durotoye reads.
The process of consensus candidate selection for PACT, which was independently observed by Oby Ezekwesili produced Durotoye as the eventual winner but a good number of the candidates that formed that coalition pulled out, faulting the process on ghr basis of irregularities.
While other candidates advanced their presidential ambitions in their respective parties, Mr. Durotoye also clinched on his bid from ANN.
Now, he is restating his readiness to forfeit his presidential ambition even if the coalition does not turn in his favor the second time.
“To be clear, if the process produces any other candidate apart from myself, I AM READY to support whoever the Consensus Candidate is and to do all I can to support the coalition to win the 2019 Presidential elections for our generation”.
“Once again, I implore the frontline candidates in our generation.
“Let us come together and seize this historic window of opportunity for our generation to select one of us to go ahead of us so that ALL OF US can come together and speak with one voice at the 2019 General Elections. Together, we can do the perceived impossible.
“Our generation is depending on us. We must not let them down”, the ANN presidential candidate noted.
In the main time, both Sowore and Moghalu are yet to make their reactions to these fresh developments from Ezekwesili or Durotoye’s bid to ally with them.
