Niger State Governor, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu on Thursday described the ongoing merger talks among the nation’s frontline opposition parties as normal, noting that alignments and realignments were simple political intercourse expected in every emerging democracy.
Aliyu, who spoke in Abuja at the public presentation of the Nasir El-Rufai’s book titled An Accidental Public Servant, maintained that such arrangements were necessary for the growth and development of our democracy.
Aliyu, who is also the Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) said the merger of opposition parties in the country would throw up stiff competition for elective positions, thereby ensuring that nonentities are excluded from winning elections into political offices.
He said said no democracy could grow without a credible opposition, hence the need for an arrangement that would ensure that the PDP sits up and ensure that only those who are competent are fielded to run for political offices under the platform of the party.
He however said it would be difficult for the opposition to defeat the PDP in 2015, emphasising that the PDP is a national party that is rooted across the country and it would be difficult for the merger of the opposition to defeat it even if all opposition parties were to come together.