2015: CPC, ANPP, ACN Set To Merge

Ahead of the 2015 general elections, major opposition parties including, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) have finalised plans to join forces under a mega opposition party to face the ruling Peoples Democratic Party at the elections. Already there are indications that other opposition parties might rally under the mega opposition umbrella for the next elections as the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), has thrown its weight behind the merger.

The soon to be formed mega opposition party would be a product of series of meetings between the leader of the CPC, Gen, Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and the leader of the ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as well as wide consultations among stakeholders across the country which started since after the 2011 elections.

Those behind the mega party seek to win the Presidency and majority of states as well as majority of seats in the National Assembly.

The leadership of the CPC had at the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) attended by Buhari, party National Chairman, Tony Momoh and chieftain and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai last Thursday ratified the merger.

It was gathered that some key CPC member who were initially opposed to the merger were convinced about the merits of the plan after which they also gave their support.

The CPC National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, yesterday confirmed the decision of the party leadership saying it was based on the understanding that none of the existing opposition parties alone could defeat the PDP in the next election.

On its own part, the ANPP leadership has confirmed that the party was set to work with the CPC and ACN for the 2015 elections. 

ANPP National Publicity Secretary, Emma Eneukwu said in an interview with Peoples Daily in Abuja yesterday that the merger arrangement has reached advanced stage adding that it would soon be finalised.

“We are in touch with the CPC on the merger issue and we have reached certain level of cooperation. The merger issue is desirable. Very soon we would finalize all arrangement and our party is in full support of the merger. We would work with the CPC for the betterment of this country”, Eneukwu said. 

There are however strong indications that with support of the CNPP, the mega opposition party might pull the support and loyalty of other opposition parties in the country. Already, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has indicated interest to join the bigger platform. 

Speaking to Peoples Daily yesterday, the CNPP Chairman, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, said the CNPP, which is an umbrella of opposition parties in the country was in support of the merger. Musa also announced that his party, the PRP would join the bigger platform. 

“It is a welcome development. We in the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties are in support of the merger. In fact, I want to use this opportunity to call on other opposition political parties to join the merger. I also want to assure you that my party the Peoples Redemption Party will also join the merger so that we would have a credible and strong political party in this country. 

It would be recalled that the CPC and the ACN had sought to work together during the 2011 elections but could not following disagreements over issues of Presidential candidates.