CPC, ACN may sign deal Friday .
General Muhammadu Buhari
The Congress for Progressive Change [CPC] and the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] have concluded arrangements to sign a memorandum of understating [MOU] in Abuja tomorrow which is meant to field a joint presidential candidate in the general election of April.
Daily Trust learnt from high level sources on both sides that almost all the tricky details in talks which started some few months back have been resolved and the final meeting for the alliance is going be held in Abuja tomorrow where both parties will officially sign a working agreement towards the election. At tomorrow’s meeting, both parties will present their final submissions after which the pact will be signed, the sources said.
Earlier reports indicated that the alliance has already agreed to support the presidential candidate of the CPC General Muhammadu Buhari on the joint presidential ticket while the ACN provides the running mate. A source confirmed that some areas of friction had earlier stalled the process but were mutually resolved during the last meeting. He said it was now unanimously agreed that Muhammadu Buhari will become the presidential flag bearer, though under his CPC but with a joint mandate.
Though former Lagos State governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu has initially been touted as the possible running mate, Daily Trust learnt that certain political intrigues and calculations came to the fore, and it is unclear whether he has backed out or not.
However, a source said the names of former governor of Anambra State Dr. Chris Ngige, former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as well as that of Pastor Tunde Bakare were being pushed by some strong interest groups.
Daily Trust learnt that some religious groups met with General Buhari in Kaduna on Monday over the candidature of Pastor Bakare.
A source close to former Lagos State governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu who has been leading the ACN side in the talks said he [Tinubu] is in support of the pact with the CPC and, in fact, encouraging the consummation of the deal.
Daily Trust learnt that tomorrow’s meeting is the fallout of the last meeting of leaders of the two sides held in Lagos on January 11, 2011 where critical issues related to the agreement were sorted out.
He confirmed that the two had come to the realisation that they needed each other to win the presidential election, especially against the current state of the ruling party, which is sharply divided by the zoning arrangement of the party.
The source revealed that alliance talks were earlier put on hold due to the rush by all parties to conclude their primaries in order to meet with INEC deadlines and also resolve various crises that emanated in both parties during the primaries.
The ACN has already fielded former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] Malam Nuhu Ribadu after advising former governor of Sokoto State Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa and another aspirant to step aside. Sources said the ACN leadership did that based on fears that Bafarawa may not agree to step down after the talks with CPC. But the leaders were said to be confident that Ribadu shares a similar ideological disposition with Buhari and could agree in the circumstance to withdraw. Political parties have up to the end of this month to submit their candidates to INEC.
General Muhammadu Buhari
The Congress for Progressive Change [CPC] and the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] have concluded arrangements to sign a memorandum of understating [MOU] in Abuja tomorrow which is meant to field a joint presidential candidate in the general election of April.
Daily Trust learnt from high level sources on both sides that almost all the tricky details in talks which started some few months back have been resolved and the final meeting for the alliance is going be held in Abuja tomorrow where both parties will officially sign a working agreement towards the election. At tomorrow’s meeting, both parties will present their final submissions after which the pact will be signed, the sources said.
Earlier reports indicated that the alliance has already agreed to support the presidential candidate of the CPC General Muhammadu Buhari on the joint presidential ticket while the ACN provides the running mate. A source confirmed that some areas of friction had earlier stalled the process but were mutually resolved during the last meeting. He said it was now unanimously agreed that Muhammadu Buhari will become the presidential flag bearer, though under his CPC but with a joint mandate.
Though former Lagos State governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu has initially been touted as the possible running mate, Daily Trust learnt that certain political intrigues and calculations came to the fore, and it is unclear whether he has backed out or not.
However, a source said the names of former governor of Anambra State Dr. Chris Ngige, former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as well as that of Pastor Tunde Bakare were being pushed by some strong interest groups.
Daily Trust learnt that some religious groups met with General Buhari in Kaduna on Monday over the candidature of Pastor Bakare.
A source close to former Lagos State governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu who has been leading the ACN side in the talks said he [Tinubu] is in support of the pact with the CPC and, in fact, encouraging the consummation of the deal.
Daily Trust learnt that tomorrow’s meeting is the fallout of the last meeting of leaders of the two sides held in Lagos on January 11, 2011 where critical issues related to the agreement were sorted out.
He confirmed that the two had come to the realisation that they needed each other to win the presidential election, especially against the current state of the ruling party, which is sharply divided by the zoning arrangement of the party.
The source revealed that alliance talks were earlier put on hold due to the rush by all parties to conclude their primaries in order to meet with INEC deadlines and also resolve various crises that emanated in both parties during the primaries.
The ACN has already fielded former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] Malam Nuhu Ribadu after advising former governor of Sokoto State Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa and another aspirant to step aside. Sources said the ACN leadership did that based on fears that Bafarawa may not agree to step down after the talks with CPC. But the leaders were said to be confident that Ribadu shares a similar ideological disposition with Buhari and could agree in the circumstance to withdraw. Political parties have up to the end of this month to submit their candidates to INEC.
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