ANN, Fela Durotoye’s Party, Pulls Out of CUPP Alliance

 

Dr Jay Osi Samuel, The National Chairman, Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) has removed his group from the loose alliance of 30 parties formed by the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday.

He stated that his party pulled out of the pact with the ANN had no ideological middle-ground with the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

Dr. Samuel stated this during the party’s NEC meeting and the declaration of intention by its presidential aspirants on Wednesday in Abuja.

“I was invited for a meeting which I wasn’t properly briefed about the agenda of the meeting, and when I got to the meeting and I saw the attendance and what was being discussed, I wasn’t comfortable because what was being discussed did not represent what Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) as a party believes in, ”

“So, I decided to take my leave. I didn’t even have any idea of what they were there for but I knew I was informed but when I got there, I was sweating and I finally took the decision of not participating in the meeting.” he said.

“ANN is clearly focusing on what we believe in and why we came up as a party. From the very beginning, we were coming to wrestle with any of the current major political parties whether it is APC or PDP.

“We wanted to create our plans. Our agenda is to create a new voting bloc not the currently existing crop of leaders and do away with current leaders.

“What I saw in that room was the same people that we are committed to retiring. We have our hashtag, we have been running almost to a year now to replace. So, I wasn’t comfortable coming to a room where I saw all the grandfathers and the grand patrons of all and everything that has been wrong with Nigeria politically in a room,” he declared.

ANN has taken a cue from  Peoples Redemption Party which through its national chairman Alhaji Balarabe Musa on Tuesday terminated its relationship with CUPP.

“I don’t think a coalition like this which is opportunistic will be able to defeat the governing party that is, the All Progressives Congress (APC), “

“Remember, the reason for coming together is simply because they have lost the opportunities for sharing power.

“It is not because of anything which they can do which APC didn’t do. No, it is not because they have a different ideological position.

“There is no fundamental difference between them and the APC; they are just an electoral gang to defeat the APC. I don’t think the coalition is enough,” he said.