A former National Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Dr. Yunusa Tanko, has said some opposition parties in the country would form merger and ignite a powerful force in order to clinch the presidential seat in the 2023 general election.
Dr. Tanko, a former presidential candidate and the incumbent National Chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP) who spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday in Abuja, shortly after marking the 25th birthday of the NCP also demanded for a proportional representation in government.
He said Nigeria was likely to witness a stronger force that would decimate the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic (PDP) in 2023, adding that some elements in the two big parties were likely to jump ship due to internal wrangling.
“Of course, some political parties would merge to form a stronger force and that is the reason we are starting early now to call for electoral reform so that before 2023, we would have been able to actually done a lot of work that is acceptable and promoted.
“But the NCP is a brand of its own; it has a strong political ideology that is second to none. So, we prefer alliance. But that does not mean that we can’t review it. That is why we are saying that for us to move forward, proportional representation is better option for our electoral system.
“We have watched with total dismay how our politics has taken a downward trend from violence to money politics, intimidation to cross-carpeting among others.
“So proportional representation will instil greater trust, efficacy and faith in the political system. Proportional representation will take care of nomadic politicking, reduce money politics and ensure wider participation and inclusiveness. It will ensure that votes counted and above all ensure political party supremacy based on ideology,” he said.
