By James Ezema
LAGOS—In what seems to be a move to put their house in order ahead of 2011 general elections,  opposition political parties under the umbrella of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, have resolved to field a single candidate on a political platform.

The resolution followed a well attended stakeholders’ meeting by Lagos CNPP  with the stakeholders also affirming their confidence in the leadership of Alhaji Balarabe Musa-led CNPP national executive.

Chairman, Lagos CNPP, Rev. Austin Nnorom, made the decision of the stakeholders known, adding that the group will begin a tour of the South-West chapters this week “to ensure that similar platform and structure in Lagos is put up in the entire South-West.”

The success of this political alliance may alter calculations in many states of the federation and probably at the centre.

According to the South-West Coordinator of CNPP, Mr. Olawale Okunniyi who was at the meeting, the resolve of the state chapter of CNPP to go into next year election as one body came on the heels of an existing decision of CNPP national executive to ensure that efforts of the opposition parties were not depleted by contesting election as individual political parties.