Gerindra And Nasdem Discuss Pilkada Coalition In South Sulawesi

Chairman of the South Sulawesi Gerindra Party DPD I Andi Iwan Darmawan Aras (left) with Rusdin Abdullah (medium) and South Sulawesi NasDem DPW Chairman Rusdi Masse Mappasessu/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

The Gerindra Party and NasDem have the opportunity to form a coalition in facing the contestation of the regional head election democratic party (pilkada) for governors, regents and mayors in South Sulawesi Province on November 27, 2024.

"As a friend, Mr. RMS (Rusdi Masse) and I have met to discuss the gubernatorial election (election of governors), the election (election of regents) and the election (election of mayor), but we talk casually," said Chairman of the South Sulawesi Gerindra DPD I Party Andi Iwan Darmawan Aras in Makassar as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, April 18.

The man who is familiar with the AIA acronym said that the meeting with the Chairman of the South Sulawesi NasDem DPW Rusdi Masse Mappasessu or RMS with one of the figures, Rusdin Abdullah, who is known to be familiar with the missile, did discuss the pilkada.

"Yes, Mr. Missiles are also on our radar in the Makassar Pilwalkot," said the member of the DPR RI when asked by reporters about who his party would carry.

The name Missile has surfaced recently to the public in the gadang-gadang will be carried as a candidate for Mayor of Makassar. Even NasDem has also looked at the former treasurer of the South Sulawesi Golkar Party as one of the options that can push forward.

In addition, the Missiles have collaborated with RMS and AIA to help win the Gerindra-NasDem support, namely the candidate pair for mayor and deputy mayor Moh Ramdhan Pomanto-Fatmawati Rusdi in the Makassar Pilwali in 2020.

However, AIA did not deny Gerindra's signal of support that looked at missiles to be carried forward to fight in the Makassar Pilwali, but did not rule out the possibility that there were still party cadres who were encouraged to fight.

"We still prioritize the cadres themselves. But if the cadres are not strong enough to appoint the electoral. Then we will carry and find external figures," he explained.

Although there were no results in the meeting, Andi Iwan emphasized that so far there has been no agreement on the names of candidates promoted by the party, including missiles, because the meeting was only limited to friendship as well as assessment.

"Currently we have not determined who the candidate is, we are only discussing who is being promoted, the criteria for the candidate who enters. So, we are still talking about the criteria, we are still actively communicating while compiling a schedule, there could be a cadre appointed to participate in registration," he explained.

Deputy Chairperson of the South Sulawesi Nasdem DPW for Media, Mustaqim Musma, said that the meeting did discuss a political map in South Sulawesi, especially in the Makassar Pilwalkot. Moreover, the three have been friends for a long time.

"Yes, Mr. RMS and Mr. AIA together with Mr. Missile discussed the political situation in South Sulawesi, including in Makassar," added Taqim.

Previously, the chairman of the NasDem DPW in South Sulawesi, Rusdi Masse, also mentioned the name of the missile on the NasDem radar to be carried. However, there has been no official decision from the NasDem Party.

"Everyone has a chance to run for the Pilkada, including Mr. Rusdin Abdullah. Many NasDem cadres are ready, especially since we are the winners of the 2024 legislative elections in South Sulawesi," he said.

Based on the number of seats acquired by the South Sulawesi DPRD, the NasDem Party managed to position its cadres with 17 seats, followed by the Golkar Party with 14 seats and the Gerindra Party with 13 seats in the South Sulawesi DPRD.