BEVERLY HILLS, January 31, (THEWILL) – Just a few days after former President Olusegun Obasanjo wrote a damning letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, his proposed Coalition of Nigeria (CN) Movement has been launched at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja on Wednesday.
THEWILL recalls that Obasanjo, in a lengthy and critical public statement released on Tuesday, January 23 suggested the formation of the movement and advised Buhari against seeking a second term in office.
The former President, had said in his public letter that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were incapable of repositioning Nigeria.
“We need a Coalition for Nigeria, CN. Coalition to salvage and redeem our country. You can count me with such a movement,” he had stated.
“Last time, we asked, prayed and worked for change and God granted our request. This time, we must ask, pray and work for change with unity, security and progress. And God will again grant us. Of course, nothing should stop such a Movement from satisfying conditions for fielding candidates for elections.
“Coalition for Nigeria must have its headquarters in Abuja.”
Former governor of Osun state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and Donald Duke, one-time governor of Cross River state, were among the dignitaries who witnessed the launch of the movement but Obasanjo was not present.
It was gathered that Oyinlola is set to resign his appointment as the Chairman of the National Identity Management Commission(NIMC) to enable him take up the role of coordinating the coalition having been appointed to the position by President Buhari in 2017.
There are also speculations that of the 36 Governors in the federation, 10 of them and some Senators have indicated interest in being part of the CN.
Seven of those Governors are believed to be of the ruling APC and three are members of the PDP members.
Others who are said to be part of the formation of CN are Prof. Jerry Gana; a former National Security Adviser; some ex-Governors such as Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Sule Lamido; retired Generals among others.
The mission of the CN reads: “The Coalition for Nigeria Movement is a movement that seeks to promote and ensure socio-economic development, improvement, growth, social justice, egalitarianism, cohesion, cooperation, equity, equality of opportunity, transparency, societal order, rule of law, human security and human rights leading to National Unity, good governance and general well-being and the welfare of all citizens and inhabitants of Nigeria.”
