Why CPC, ACN alliance failed
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- Category: April 2011 Polls
- Published on Thursday, 14 April 2011 06:05
- Written by Admin
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One of the most contentious issues that led to the breakdown of talks, according to Daily Trust sources, is the demand by the ACN to have the vice presidential slot in the alliance.
Also, report of the party’s committee on the electoral alliance obtained by Daily Trust showed that the ACN gave other conditions to the CPC which included that the two parties should merge into a single party after the election.
The proposals which were produced by a three-man committee of the party, also demanded that the ACN should be supported to get the leadership of one of the chambers of the National Assembly, in all probability, the House of Representatives when victory is achieved.
The third condition given the CPC was that Buhari’s cabinet and other key political appointments, if he wins the election, should be made in proportion to the strength of the the two parties in the National Assembly. The ACN has already swept the National Assembly polls in the South West.
ACN had argued in the report that following the last week’s National Assembly polls, it is undisputedly the largest opposition party therefore should take the upper hand in the negotiations.
“All previous contestation by the CPC, having now been tested and proven, can now be rested. In any alliance or corporation between the two parties, it is now clear that ACN will be the senior party and will be at liberty to dictate the terms,” it said.
Former Lagos State governor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu and other leaders of the party had demanded that the CPC should obtain a resignation letter from General Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate Pastor Tunde Bakare in advance of the election in return for ACN’s support for Buhari in the elections on Saturday.
According to the arrangement, sources said, one week after swearing in on May 29, Bakare’s resignation would be formally accepted by the President, after which the ANC will provide a replacement.
But Bakare and some stakeholders in the talks were said to have resisted, arguing that there are many constitutional issues lurking around the proposal. Those who sided with Bakare were said to have insisted that it didn’t make sense for Bakare to sign a letter addressed to a yet to be commander in chief, asking that that proposal be kept out until later.
“We can’t deceive Nigerians to give us vote and later tell them this is what we did in secret. Besides, once Bakare is elected alongside Buhari, it ceases to be a party matter; anything thereafter has constitutional implications,” one source said.
Daily Trust learnt that the last few days were particularly difficult for the parties in the talks, especially the CPC which had some “difficult” conditions to fulfil. General Buhari was said to have visited Bakare in his hotel room at about 10am yesterday and tried to get him to oblige to the demand of the ACN leaders.
However, according to sources, by the time Bakare accepted and signed “intent to resign”, the national leadership of the ACN was already on air announcing the collapse of the talks. The sources said the ACN had given Buhari a deadline of 10am yesterday.
State governors of the ANC were said to have left Abuja in the morning yesterday when the talks showed signs of failing on Tuesday night. Daily Trust source said even after the ACN chairman had addressed the press conference, the G15 led by former President Ibrahim Babangida continued effort to rescue the talks after Bakare had consented, though reluctantly, but to no avail.
Buhari had earlier mandated the G15 to negotiate with the ACN led by Ahmed Bola Tinubu the issues and conditions to be tabled by the ACN. But he was said to have asked them not to compromise the issue of candidature. He was said to have expressed willingness to respect any agreement they reached with the allies in the talks.
Talks between the ACN and General Buhari had begun about two years ago when they came together with Atiku Abubakar and Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa to try to form a mega party to challenge the PDP. They later scattered leaving only Bafarwa’s DPP and the AC then which transformed into ACN.
