Merger talks: Tinubu mediates in Buhari, Shekarau row

THERE are strong indications that the national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Senator Bola Tinubu, has commenced efforts to reconcile both the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP), over planned merger of the parties.

General Muhammadu Buahri had reportedly canvassed an alliance of opposition parties without the ANPP, due to old rivalry between the him and chieftains of the ANPP, a position Tinubu and his party were not comfortable with.

Nigerian Tribune was told that Senator Tinubu, late on Friday, met the former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who is the team leader for the ANPP in the merger convention of the opposition parties.

Aside the meeting, it was gathered that a follow-up meeting between the two leaders would hold on Monday at an undisclosed location in Abuja.

Reports from the meeting indicated that Tinubu was working to straighten out the disagreements between Buhari and the ANPP, in addition to harmonising positions of the parties before the coalition partners’ meeting.

“Tinubu met Shekarau on Friday. They had useful discussions. The A C N leaders want ANPP to be part of the merger. In fact, ANPP has been meeting with ACN before CPC came on board,” a top source within the opposition said.

Meanwhile, the ACN has appointed a 19-member committee with the mandate to negotiate its planned merger with the CPC and the ANPP.

In a statement issued in Lagos, on Sunday, by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the committee, to be chaired by Chief Tom Ikimi, has Chief Olusegun Osoba, Chief Niyi Adebayo, Governors Babatunde Fashola and Rauf Aregbesola, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyawu, Senator George Akume and HonourableAbike Dabiri-Erewa as members.

Other members of the committeee are Senator Lawal Shuaibu, Chief Audu Ogbe, Chief Achike Udenwa, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Senator Chris Ngige, Dr Usman Bugaje, Hadjia Rabiat Eshak, Dr Ibrahim Y. Lame, Alhaji Yusuf Ali and Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

 ACN said the constitution of the committee was an indication of its commitment to making the merger a reality, adding that there was no going back in its determination to work with the CPC and the ANPP to rescue and salvage Nigeria.