APC: Opposition Parties Set May Date For Joint Convention

Political parties involved in the merger plans for the proposed All Progressives Congress (APC) have set May date for the convocation of a joint convention of the existing parties.
If things go according to plan, all the necessary formalities would be completed and the final proposal for registration made to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The move is sequel to the need to meet up with the provisions of the regulations relating to the merger agreement amongst political parties as contained in the Electoral Law 2010, as amended.
The four parties involved in the merger arrangement include the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a splinter group within the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The national publicity secretary of the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a television programme monitored by LEADERSHIP in Lagos, confirmed that the convention has been slated for April 18 this year in Lagos, where his party would ratify the proposal.
“We are really moving very fast with the merger arrangement,” he said. “We are very desirous of having it in place by the end of May. I am happy to inform you that our party will, by the grace of God, meet in Lagos on April 18 to ratify the merger.”
Sources within the ANPP told our correspondent in Lagos that a pre-convention meeting of the National Working Committee of the party will meet in Abuja on April 11 and the major item for discussion will be to fix the date for the convention.
“I don’t know when we are going to hold the convention; all I know is that we are working towards it.
As I am speaking to you now, we are preparing to attend National Working Committee of the party in Abuja slated for April 11.
It is only at the meeting that the party will formally come out to tell Nigerians that it is ready to conduct its convention as stipulated by law to ratify the agreement,” the highly dependable source, who pleaded anonymity, said.
On its part, the CPC has set up a 33-member committee to fashion out the modalities for bringing the convention to fruition.
In a statement signed by the party’s national publicity secretary, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, the committee is to plan the party’s convention which is expected to endorse the merger with the other progressive parties.
According to the statement obtained by our correspondent electronically, the committee is headed by Dr. Hassan Muhammadu Lawal, with prominent members such Senators Sani Saleh, Abubakar Sadiq Yar’adua, Hadi Sirika, Solomon Ewuga, Saleh Damboyio, Ibrahim Musa and Abu Ibrahim.
Others are Hon. Abdullahi Idris Garba, Hon. Garba Datti, Gen. India Garba (rtd), Chief Alex Hart, Mr. Eddy Ogunbor, Barr.
Sharon Ikeazor, Chief Jerry Johnson, Otunba Basirat Noibi, Mr. Chris Hassan, Dr. Louis Ogbuefi, Alhaji Munir Yakubu, Alhaji Suleiman Hassan, Owelle Oscar Udoji, Dr. Idika Ochaa, Dr. and Marliyya Zayyan.
CPC’s statement also explained that the committee is expected to submit its reports within a week
Nothing has, however, been heard from the camp of the splinter group in APGA that supports the merger plan.