The Third Force Grand Coalition on Saturday clears the air on the shortlisting of its presidential candidates for the 2019 elections. It said this became necessary following reactions generated byNews Expressexclusive report of Friday entitled, “3rd Force/Grand Coalition shortlist presidential candidates for 2019 elections”.

“The National Secretariat is compelled to immediately put the record straight in the interest of all well-meaning Nigerians, especially, the five million plus membership of NIM Grand Coalition,” said NIM in a statement signed by Hajia Barr Fatima Bako, Head of NIM Publicity Bureau, Abuja.

It referred to the words of NIM Deputy Director General, Mallam Nasir Kura, was quoted byNews Expressas saying in a telephone conversation that the movement was “yet to agree on a particular presidential candidate or the coalition party to be adopted for the prosecution of the Fresh Breed agenda for electoral revolution in 2019.”

Continuing, Hajia Bako said: “Further to the above, NIM National Secretariat wishes to state in clear terms that the processing of a new template for political interactions with other political entities in order to produce a winning plan for the 2019 elections is still ongoing and yet to be exhausted by the National leadership of its grand coalition.

“NIM, as a matter of principle will not under any guise exclude all its bonafide members, who have fulfilled their membership obligations and paid up their dues from making inputs into the decision to choose a coalition party as well as a credible presidential candidate for the 2019 general elections

“As a matter of fact, a necessary bulletin of NIM will be made at the appropriate time in regard to the issues of NIM choice for political party and candidates for the 2019 elections, after due consultations with all its stakeholders.

“Finally, NIM will be very transparent and democratic in all its deliberations and decisions, and will make the necessary democratic choices to reflect NIM intention to elevate the political process towards an all-inclusive national political agenda for the country.”