At least 20 political parties have distanced themselves from the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Addressing a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Chairman of one of the parties, the Peoples Democratic Movement, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf, insisted that his party is not part of any coalition of opposition political parties.

Yusuf explained that the PDM has never attended any meeting in which such a coalition was discussed.

Also, the Action Democratic Party and Young Progressive Party, among others, distanced themselves from the coalition.

The PDP on Monday announced that it had formed a coalition with 38 other political parties in the country.

The parties made the announcement when they met at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital, that they would operate under the Coalition of United Political Party (CUPP).

The announcement followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the leaders of the parties, in their bid to present a common presidential candidate to contest against President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general election.

Part of the agreement of the MoU was to mobilise support for consensus candidates at the centre, states, and the Legislative arm of government.

Leaders of political parties who attended the meeting include that of Former President Olusegun Obasanjo-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC), Social Democratic Party of Nigeria (SDP), National Conscience Party (NCP), Labour Party, and a host of other registered parties.

PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus, Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Former Senate President David Mark, and R-APC Chairman Buba Galadima, were present at the meeting.

Some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who broke out of the ruling party to form the Reformed APC, including the lawmaker representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye, were also present.

•Culled from Channels TV report