POLITICS: Merger Giving FG Sleepless Nights - Buhari

A former Head of State, who is also the National Leader of the Congress for Progressive Change, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has said the merger of opposition political parties is giving government sleepless nights.

Buhari, who spoke at the last meeting of the Board of Trustees of his party in Abuja on Wednesday, however, added that there was no going back on the proposed merger.

Apart from the CPC, other political parties involved in the merger are the Action Congress of Nigeria and All Nigeria Peoples Party.

A faction of All Progressive Grand Alliance is also embracing the merger.

At the CPC’s meeting, which was held at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, Buhari reminded the BoT members about the need to remain resolute in their desire to rescue the nation.

He said, “If you could recall, it was six months ago almost to the day we had the last Board of Trustees meeting, following which we launched our project for repositioning our party and pursuing the issue of merger.

“Eventually, the merger process took a life of its own: it caught the nation’s imagination and attention, and had proved unstoppable; and it, no doubt, must have given government sleepless nights.”

He recalled that at the meeting he had with leaders of the party on November 7, 2012, he had requested for and the leaders approved the formation of a CPC Merger Committee to negotiate all issues pertaining to the merger.

Buhari said he was happy that the committee had concluded its assignment and urged members present at the meeting to study the provisions of the new APC constitution and determine whether it had adequate checks and balances in places.

The former presidential candidate said the BoT members should make their observations known.

Our correspondent also gathered that Buhari and the BoT members also discussed how to share national offices in the yet-to-be-registered APC.

Buhari said, “But even more importantly, you should take time to carefully read options proposed for the transitional management structure of the new party and choose which option will best lead to satisfy the yearnings of our teeming supporters. This should be done now.”