2019: DANIEL KICK-STARTS OBASANJO PROPOSED COALITION MOVEMENT, PARADES GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANTS OF DIFFERENT POLITICAL PARTIES

It would be recalled that, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on need to establish a new coalition movement to stop President Muhammadu Buhari from returning to office in 2019, stating that Buhari has failed and lacks what to bail out the country out of the woods.

“This Coalition for Nigeria will be a Movement that will drive Nigeria up and forward. It must have a pride of place for all Nigerians, particularly for our youth and our women. It is a coalition of hope for all Nigerians for speedy, quality and equal development, security, unity, prosperity and progress. It is a coalition to banish poverty, insecurity and despair’, he said.

 Obasanjo offered himself as part of this movement that would “salvage and redeem [the] country, but quickly clarified that he would break link with the movement if it decides to become a political party because of his avowed non-partisanship

“Our country must not be oblivious to concomitant danger around, outside and ahead. Coalition for Nigeria must be a Movement to break new ground in building a united country, a socially-cohesive and moderately prosperous society with equity, equality of opportunity, justice and a dynamic and progressive economy that is self-reliant and takes active part in global division of labour and international decision-making.

Obasanjo posited further that, the movement must work out the path of development in speed and equality in the short term and long term for the country on the basis of sustainability, credibility and prosperity

“The Movement must work out the path of development and the trajectory of development in speed, quality and equality in the short- medium- and long-term for Nigeria on the basis of sustainability, stability, predictability, credibility, security, cooperation and prosperity with diminishing inequality. What is called for is love, commitment and interest in our country, not in self, friends and kinship alone but particularly love, compassion and interest in the poor, underprivileged and downtrodden. It is our human duty and responsibility so to do. Failure to do this will amount to a sin against God and a crime against humanity,” he said.

“I have had occasion in the past to say that the two main political parties – APC and PDP – were wobbling. I must reiterate that nothing has happened to convince me otherwise. If anything, I am reinforced in my conviction,”, Obasanjo said.

“If neither APC nor PDP is a worthy horse to ride to lead Nigeria at this crucial and critical time, what then do we do? Remember Farooq Kperogi, an Associate Professor at the Kennesaw State University, Georgia, United States, calls it ‘a cruel Hobson’s choice; it’s like a choice between six and half a dozen, between evil and evil. Any selection or deflection would be a distinction without a difference.’ We cannot just sit down lamenting and wringing our hands desperately and hopelessly.”