Thirty nine opposition parties in Nigeria on Monday formed an alliance known as the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) in a bid to wrest power from President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 general elections.

Representatives of the 39 registered political parties, including the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) signed a memorandum of understanding to form an anti-Buhari alliance for the election scheduled to hold in February next year.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed by the parties at the end of an enlarged meeting at the Yar ‘Adua Centre, Abuja ,resolved, among others things, to field a joint presidential candidate.

The coalition also resolved to agree on common candidate for governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The MoU, which was read by Chief Tom Ikimi also resolved to promote core values for the restructuring of the country and sharing of political offices among persons and groups across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The coalition also promised a unity government in the event of winning the election with a joint manifesto that will usher in a well structured economic and fiscal federalism.

Besides the PDP which is seen as the rallying point of the coalition, other parties in the alliance include the Action Alliance (AA), Africa Democratic Party (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) and Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP).

Others are Democratic Alternative (DA), Democratic Peoples Party (DPC), Grand Democratic Party of Nigeria (GDPN),Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), KOWA Party, Labour Party (LP), Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) and Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN).

Also in the coalition include National Conscience Party (NCP), New Generation Party (NGP), National Unity Party (NUP), Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM), Peoples Alliance for National Development and Liberty (PANDEL), Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), People for Democratic Change (PDC), Providence People’s Congress (PPC) and the Reformed All Progressive Congress (RAPC).

Restoration Party of Nigeria (RPN), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), All Grassroots Alliance (AGA), National Interest Party (NIP), Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Young Democratic Party (YDP) also signed the MoU.

Speaking at the event, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus said Nigeria had witnessed all forms of intimidation aimed at suffocating democracy in the country.

Also speaking at the event, SDP National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae said there was need for the coalition to produce overwhelming majority in the federal and state legislatures to form the required majority for the restructuring of the country.

Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu said the signing of the MoU would rescue Nigeria in 2019 and restore her to the path of democratic freedoms, joy, security, and development.

“For three years, what I see on the faces of Nigerians is frustration and anguish. But for the first time, I tell you that I saw joy. I saw people laughing and smiling for the first time in three years.

“Those our brothers and sisters, and investors, who left Nigeria in the last three years, are also rejoicing with you because by this time next year, they will all be back. Those factories that were closed are going to come back alive by this time next year and Nigerians will rejoice.

“The people of the South East whom the programmes and practices of this government are forcing them to have a rethink on their membership of this country, today will rejoice and be happy that a new country that will be fair to all is coming; a country that they will be proud to be part of and continue to contribute to her development.

“All our people in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, who have been wondering or believe that they will spend the rest of their lives in the IDP camps are happy today because their stay there is almost over; because next year, we will enthrone a government that will take them to their homes and protect them there.

“The media houses, all the instruments and institutions of democracy that have been trampled and muzzled in this country, they will be free again to do their work without fear of intimidation.

“Those, who are being persecuted on account of their political views or insisting that the right thing should be done, are also going to rejoice because a new dawn is here,” Ekweremadu said.

Others who also spoke at the landmark event included Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola,Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, former National Secretaryof the PDP, Senator Ben Obi among others.