The two leading opposition parties will on Monday meet on how they can gain an edge over the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the 2011 presidential election. An investigation by our correspondent on Friday showed the both parties would decide the criteria for picking their joint presidential candidate at the meeting. The National Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, confirmed that the leadership of both parties would meet on Monday. He, however, said the ACN would not agree that a presidential aspirant of the CPC, Gen. (Muhammadu) Buhari, should be given an automatic ticket as the joint candidate of both parties. It was gathered that past talks by the two parties had ended in a stalemate as they could not agree on a presidential candidate for the poll. Our correspondent learnt that while the CPC preferred Buhari as the presidential candidate of both parties, the ACN said the former head of state should not be given an automatic ticket. A top member of the CPC, who pleaded anonymity, said, “The talks are shaky because the ACN sees itself as a brand. It is not ready to adopt any other party’s name for the 2011 election.
“The leaders of the CPC are insisting that they would want to maintain their platform.”
But Mohammed said besides the CPC, the ACN had been meeting with the leaders of the All Nigeria Peoples Party with a view to presenting joint candidates in the 2011 elections.
“Too much emphasis is being put on the talks between the ACN and CPC, whereas we had talks with the ANPP in Benin and the discussion is ongoing,” he said.
According to him, the ACN presidential aspirants include the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; immediate past Secretary of the party, Dr. Usman Bugaje and a former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa.
He said, “The ACN actually met with the CPC. Several things were discussed. On the part of our party, we made it clear to the CPC that we do not believe in any loose alliance. At the same time, we recognise that a merger is now impossible because of the time constraints.
“Therefore, we suggested to the CPC that the best option was for its presidential candidate (Buhari) to come and contest under the umbrella of the ACN.”
Mohammed said the CPC, however, preferred its candidate to use its platform. He said, “We believe whosoever wants to come and contest must use our platform. Our experience is that alliances don’t work and we also realise that because of time constraint, a merger is out of it. Whatever arrangement we are going to arrive at, the ACN must field a presidential candidate. We are not going to adopt any party. At this point, there is a bit of disagreement and we agreed that the two parties should go back and spell out in clear terms the form the collaboration should take.
“One thing we have resolved as a party is that whosoever is going to have any arrangement with us will use the ACN platform and we will not surrender this.
“Even if Buhari today says he is willing to contest under the umbrella of the ACN, it is not automatic. It is not automatic because if the ACN and CPC agree today that Buhari is ready to fly our ticket, we still have to go back and conduct primaries.
“This is the only way the Independent National Electoral Commission will even accept the result of our primaries. Whatever arrangement we make, it is the internal affairs of the collaborating parties.”
He said that even if both parties on Monday agreed to use the ACN platform, the issue of candidacy would still have to be settled. Mohammed cited time constraint as one of the problems facing both parties because of the January 15, 2011 deadline given by INEC for the submission of the names of candidates. He said the ACN was working hard to come out with the guidelines for the conduct of its primaries.He said, “The ACN has no choice than to work hard to meet the INEC deadline. Various meetings have commenced and we are going to come out with the guidelines for the conduct of the primaries. We are going to set up the screening committees and fix dates for the primaries.”
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