The patriots, under the leadership of former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has distanced itself from any plan to join the opposition coalition targeted at unseating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
The Secretary General of The Patriots, Comrade Olawale Okunniyi, who made the position of the group known over the weekend, said they are non-partisan.
Naija News reports the position of the Patriots was made known amidst efforts by some opposition politicians, including former vice president and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, in raising a coalition capable of challenging President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, Okunniyi, in a chat with Nigerian Tribune over the weekend, said there was no relationship between The Patriots Organisation and the coalition being formed by opposition politicians.
He said the leaders of The Patriots were preoccupied with “bringing about a new Nigeria that works for all as a pan-Nigerian organisation.
Okunniyi added that they have mapped out plans for stakeholders to key into their plans on the advocacy for a constitution that would reflect the wishes and aspirations of the diverse people of Nigeria.
“The Advocacy and Mobilisation Committee of The Patriots have already enlisted the commitment of formidable voices in the six geo political zones of Nigeria to mobilise critical stakeholders and the general public to buy into the longstanding advocacy in Nigeria for a new democratic people’s Constitution for Nigeria towards resolving Nigeria’s national democratic and constitutional challenges
“To this end, Zonal Advocacy Committees have been constituted and inaugurated in the six geo-political zones since November last year and these have been holding strategy and consultative meetings and now rearing to launch nationwide outreaches in April this year
“However, the new coalition of opposition forces has no relationship with the Patriots as the Patriots as a body of eminent Nigerians, is a non-partisan, pan-Nigerian intervention group of eminent leaders of thought, statesmen and women, who are only committed to bringing about a new Nigeria that works for all via a popularly agreed Constitution by the diverse stakeholders and citizens of Nigeria. So the Patriots as a group will never entertain or embrace partisan politics.”
It would be recalled that The Patriots had earlier visited President Bola Tinubu to make a firm case for a legitimate federal constitution that can make Nigeria work for all.
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