CPC alliance talk with ACN still on -Buhari

Details: Category: Politics; Published on Friday, 11 March 2011 05:06; Written by The Nation; Hits: 2427

CONGRESS for Progressive Change (CPC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has said the much-anticipated alliance between his party and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) could be formed before elections next month.

Buhari spoke yesterday in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, during his presidential rally. Buhari and national leader of ACN, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have been holding talks on how to form an alliance between the two most vibrant opposition parties.

It is believed that a coalition would make the parties more formidable to wrest power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the polls. Buhari said some opportunities have been lost by ACN and CPC, which are both fielding presidential candidates from the North.

He said: "We [in CPC] are still holding talks with the ACN to find out at which level to form an alliance. "Although some opportunities have been lost, we hope that by the time we start counting our first votes, we shall reach some electoral understanding with the ACN.

"We believe that if both parties could come together and merge, it would be of more political gains. Although we couldn’t merge, some form of alliance can still take place before the elections.

"So, within two to three weeks, before we start casting our votes, it could still be possible to reach some electoral understanding between the CPC and the ACN.

Buhari, who also presented the party’s flag to the governorship candidate in Taraba, Ahmed Yusuf, promised that if voted into power, his administration would provide food, road, security, health, education and portable water to Nigerians.