Mega Party..Buhari,Tinubu Agree On Sharing Formular

 

INDICATIONS emerged on Thursday that the renewed vigour towards the formation of an oppositions grand coalition party ahead of the 2015 election was as a result of a fresh deal entered into between the camps of former head of state, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) and the leader of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN),  Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune indicate that Buhari, who leads the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Tinubu had struck a fresh deal on the sharing formula for the emerging political coalition.

The power sharing formula had been the huge challenge that delayed the take-off of the merger plans all through 2012, sources had said.

It was confirmed that some leaders of the CPC rejected the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which gave details of the planned merger when the document was presented to them. Some of the leaders were said to have rejected what they termed ‘Buhari’s blind agreement with the ACN’.

But Buhari, at a Board of Trustees meeting of the CPC in Abuja on Wednesday said that the opposition parties were sure of forging the coalition ahead of the 2015 elections.

The development is coming on the heels of huge resentment among Buhari’s trusted loyalists in the CPC, many of whom had secretly accused the former leader of succumbing to the propaganda mounted by the ACN to the effect that the opposition parties cannot survive the 2015 election without a merger.

Investigation by the Nigerian Tribune however confirmed that the CPC and the leaders of ACN, have agreed on the sharing of party and political offices and that Buhari might have tacitly given indication of withdrawing from the 2015 race.

It was gathered that the former head of state had agreed with Tinubu to play the godfather role to the planned coalition and that the emerging party would then search for a younger element to carry the flag.

Sources, however, said that Tinubu is planning to contest the presidential election, while he would also consider a running mate position if he loses the race for the ticket of the proposed party.

However, contrary to public pronouncements which indicated that all was well with the merger effort, it emerged on Thursday that the planned formation of the mega opposition party is still facing serious hitches arising from personality clashes among key opposition leaders.

Investigation by the Nigerian Tribune across the opposition parties showed that divisions still exist on how to proceed on the merger plans in addition to the existence of some factions within some merger partners who are suspected of working actively for the ruling party.

It was gathered on Thursday that already, the merger politics has pitched Buhari and former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai against each other as the Buhari caucus believed the minister was angling for the presidency even before Buhari made up his mind on 2015.

While el-Rufai has regularly denied interest in the presidency, pro-Buhari forces within the CPC allegedly accused the former minister of planting structures and creating alliances towards a presidential run.

This in-fighting was reported to have openly manifested in Abuja on Wednesday when Buhari approved and inaugurated CPC merger team without Mallam el-Rufai or any of his allies being included, contrary to original plan which has el-Rufai as team leader.

A CPC insider told the Nigerian Tribune that the exclusion of el-Rufai has created another aggrieved party within the CPC, in addition to the yet to be resolved court cases over the authentic leadership and ownership of the party.

While no official reason has been given for the exclusion of el-Rufai, party sources confirmed that traditional Buhari allies have deep-seated suspicion for new members of the party, especially those who joined the CPC from PDP, among whom, el-Rufai is a leading figure.

Buhari, ANPP crisis deepens
As CPC grapples with its internal challenges, there are also strong indications that all is not well between the Katsina General and his former party, the All Nigeria Peoples Party over the merger plan.

It was learnt that the General prefers a merger between his party and the ACN to the exclusion of ANPP, leading to his direct statements on Wednesday on his relationship with the ACN.

ANPP leaders contacted on Thursday in Abuja were unhappy that the General repeatedly cited the ACN as the merger partner when the merger talks in deed involve four parties namely CPC, ANPP, ACN and APGA.

An ANPP chieftain told the Nigerian Tribune that the ANPP had gone far with the merger plan, long before the CPC inaugurated its negotiation committee, noting, “we have met ACN leaders at Ibadan and APGA leaders in Enugu.

“We are even more involved in the merger than CPC. But the General is still holding grudge against the ANPP. He believes he was pushed out of the ANPP,” an official at the ANPP secretariat confided in the Tribune.

Buhari was reported to be particularly unhappy that former Kano State governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, was chosen as the chairman of the ANPP merger negotiation team. Shekarau is said to be in the bad book of the General as he was fielded after Buhari‘s exit from ANPP.

Details of the sharing formula adopted by the opposition parties have also emerged, with sources confirming that the leaders have now adopted the contentious  MOU. This is reported to be the focus of discussion at a meeting earlier this week in Abuja.

Insider sources disclosed that five key positions are for sharing at the federal level among the partners namely president, vice president, Party chairman and senate presidency.

Each of these key positions will be zoned to the merging parties which will now nominate their candidates. Similar approach is reportedly planned for the state level.