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APC leaders meet over unresolved issues
LEADERS of the newly formed mega political party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), are locked in series of meetings, in a bid to resolve outstanding matters that relate to their union.
Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that the need to prevent a breakdown of negotiations informed the hurried announcement of the merger, as major issues that could affect the union were still outstanding as of the time of announcement.
Sources said leaders of the parties were yet to communicate the details to their members, as most of the issues were outstanding, while the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was yet to be signed before the announcement.
The MoU contains details of the power sharing formula, including positions that would be held by each of the merging parties if the APC succeeded in winning the presidency in 2015.
It was gathered that leaders of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) were at the verge of signing the MoU last year, but for some misgivings by inner caucus members of the CPC leader, General Muhammadu Buhari.
Some members of the Buhari inner caucus were of the view that the entering into a merger was unnecessary and that the CPC could make impact in 2015 if properly projected.
But the party leader was already sold to the idea of merger, following advice from the chairman, Prince Tony Momoh and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai.
It was learnt on Thursday that leaders of the merging parties had been mandated to explain to their members the essence of the new party, while they awaited registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Leaders of the party met for several hours in Abuja, on Thursday, ostensibly to work out further details of the new party.
A source at the meeting disclosed that four key offices for sharing included the national chairman, the presidential office, vice-presidential office and the Senate presidency.
While the discussion was still ongoing as of the time of filling this report, it was gathered that the presidency was slated for the North while the Senate presidency, vice presidency and the party chairman were to be zoned to the South.
The source also disclosed that other immediate challenge before the allies included the setting up of national headquarters of the new party, alongside the harmonisation of their list of national officers.
It was learnt that members of staff in their respective party secretariat were on edge throughout Thursday, as it was gathered that the meeting was also discussing the merging of some members of staff and likely retrenchment of some others
Meanwhile, Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has said the new mega party will succeed when leaders sacrifice their personal aspirations in the interest of the nation.
Speaking during a visit of a delegation led by a presidential candidate of the All Nigeria’s Progressive Party (ANPP) and former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, at the Government House, Benin City, Oshiomhole said “all of us as leaders and followers should recognise that for a merger to be fruitful, a level of sacrifices will be required and everyone will be required to moderate his aspiration and people must be ready to submit their personal interest to bigger national interest.”
He commended the emergence of the APC, saying that “it is healthy. Having recognised that we all accept there is no better alternative than democracy and the best evidence that democracy works is when people are able to choose from one political party or the other, so that they can compare and contrast.”
Mallam Shekarau, responding, said one of the major assignments of the national rebuilding and inter-party committee of the ANPP was to reach out to other political parties to enrich the democratic process and give Nigerians an alternative choice.
Also, senators elected on the tickets of opposition parties, excluding the Labout Party (LP) have said the formation of APC was with a view to rescuing the country from the fangs of the maladministration of the PDP.
The senators, at a press conference in Abuja, on Thursday, also expressed their resolve to make a difference in the political history, even as they asked Nigerians to take the merger serious.
However, there appeared to be a crack already in the attempt at forging a common front against the PDP ahead of the 2015 elections, as some of the senators made side comments when Senator Oluremi Tinubu repeatedly referred to herself as the next Deputy Senate President on the ticket of the APC.
While Senator Kabiru Marafa from Zamfara State told the Nigerian Tribune that she might have made the comment out of excitement, several others said they were watching the events as they unfolded.
Addressing the press conference, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, said all the opposition senators had agreed to work in support of the merger, describing it as national rescue mission in the right direction.
Akume said all the opposition senators supported their various party leaders and governors and applauded their wisdom and patriotism in their drive to stem the declining tide of the country.
On the reported declaration by Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State that he was not a party to the merger, Akume said the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), on which ticket Obi was elected and other merging political parties were on the same page.


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