(THISDAY) - Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) leader, Maj. General Muhammadu Buhari, may get the support of his former party, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), if he elects to contest the 2015 presidential election.
Under the proposed alliance being planned by the opposition parties
ahead of 2015, the ANPP is considering backing Buhari if he throws his
hat into the ring for the fourth time.
Buhari had contested for the presidency in 2003 and 2007 on ANPP platform before he pulled out with his associates to form the CPC under whose banner he ran for the post in 2011.
ANPP National Secretary, Alhaji Musa Tumsah, who unfolded the party's plan to back Buhari in the next presidential election, told THISDAY Tuesday that the planned merger of opposition parties was for the good of Nigerians.
He said the party was championing the cause of a coalition of the opposition because of its belief that all opposition parties need to come together to unseat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to Tumsah, ANPP will be ready to back Buhari if he emerges the best candidate of the coalition because he is competent for the job.
"If you recall, Buhari was once a candidate of the ANPP; it is not about the party being subsumed, it is about ANPP providing a platform for any candidate.
"We are looking for candidates to come forward if they are good for the country. What we know for sure is that we will not take incompetent person to fly the flag of ANPP.
"ANPP is a good platform for people of substance, including Buhari to run for the presidency in order to achieve what Nigerians are seeking as an alternative to the directionless government of the PDP," he said.
He described the political parties involved in the merger talks as progressives with a common interest and vision to better the lot of Nigerians.
Tumsah, however, explained that there are some grey areas that the parties to the merger talks are currently trying to iron out before the deal is struck.
"We are also championing the cause for a legitimate alliance or merger because all the opposition parties have to come together, in order to unseat the PDP.
"The ANPP is engaged in talks with the CPC, ACN, APGA and other forward-looking parties in the country to ensure that the terms for merger are consummated because it is for the good of Nigerians.
"We feel it is in the interest of Nigerians to actually unseat the PDP from the governance of the country because it is obvious that they are incapable of running the affairs of the country," he said.
Speaking on manifesto of the party, Tumsah said the party is currently formulating ideas and a vision that will drive its future as a viable alternative to the PDP.
"ANPP has a manifesto that has always indicated clearly what our ideology is. Our ideology is a centric party that is progressive in nature. ANPP's new manifesto encompasses free education and agricultural development programmes that are beneficial to the populace.
"We never lacked direction and if you look carefully, you will see that the opposition parties involved in the merger talks share similar interests and values.
"Of course, there are certain grey areas that have to be worked out. But I can assure you that the ANPP can merge, can be in alliance with other parties or we can sufficiently provide an alternative platform to PDP in Nigerian politics as it is today," he added.
Tumsah said the ANPP leadership was making efforts to refocus the party along the path of a new vision.
The ANPP leadership under the National Chairman, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has since May been trying to rally opposition political parties together and has followed up by appointing a 20-man committee to represent the party in talks with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and CPC.
Onu said the coming together of the opposition parties had become inevitable if there must be a change in the leadership of the country.
"This party will be reborn; it is going to be a credible alternative to the ruling party. If it means not doing it alone, we are going to team up with other progressive parties to achieve that. We will do everything possible to mobilise funds to rebuild the party and put it back on track," he said.
Buhari had contested for the presidency in 2003 and 2007 on ANPP platform before he pulled out with his associates to form the CPC under whose banner he ran for the post in 2011.
ANPP National Secretary, Alhaji Musa Tumsah, who unfolded the party's plan to back Buhari in the next presidential election, told THISDAY Tuesday that the planned merger of opposition parties was for the good of Nigerians.
He said the party was championing the cause of a coalition of the opposition because of its belief that all opposition parties need to come together to unseat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to Tumsah, ANPP will be ready to back Buhari if he emerges the best candidate of the coalition because he is competent for the job.
"If you recall, Buhari was once a candidate of the ANPP; it is not about the party being subsumed, it is about ANPP providing a platform for any candidate.
"We are looking for candidates to come forward if they are good for the country. What we know for sure is that we will not take incompetent person to fly the flag of ANPP.
"ANPP is a good platform for people of substance, including Buhari to run for the presidency in order to achieve what Nigerians are seeking as an alternative to the directionless government of the PDP," he said.
He described the political parties involved in the merger talks as progressives with a common interest and vision to better the lot of Nigerians.
Tumsah, however, explained that there are some grey areas that the parties to the merger talks are currently trying to iron out before the deal is struck.
"We are also championing the cause for a legitimate alliance or merger because all the opposition parties have to come together, in order to unseat the PDP.
"The ANPP is engaged in talks with the CPC, ACN, APGA and other forward-looking parties in the country to ensure that the terms for merger are consummated because it is for the good of Nigerians.
"We feel it is in the interest of Nigerians to actually unseat the PDP from the governance of the country because it is obvious that they are incapable of running the affairs of the country," he said.
Speaking on manifesto of the party, Tumsah said the party is currently formulating ideas and a vision that will drive its future as a viable alternative to the PDP.
"ANPP has a manifesto that has always indicated clearly what our ideology is. Our ideology is a centric party that is progressive in nature. ANPP's new manifesto encompasses free education and agricultural development programmes that are beneficial to the populace.
"We never lacked direction and if you look carefully, you will see that the opposition parties involved in the merger talks share similar interests and values.
"Of course, there are certain grey areas that have to be worked out. But I can assure you that the ANPP can merge, can be in alliance with other parties or we can sufficiently provide an alternative platform to PDP in Nigerian politics as it is today," he added.
Tumsah said the ANPP leadership was making efforts to refocus the party along the path of a new vision.
The ANPP leadership under the National Chairman, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, has since May been trying to rally opposition political parties together and has followed up by appointing a 20-man committee to represent the party in talks with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and CPC.
Onu said the coming together of the opposition parties had become inevitable if there must be a change in the leadership of the country.
"This party will be reborn; it is going to be a credible alternative to the ruling party. If it means not doing it alone, we are going to team up with other progressive parties to achieve that. We will do everything possible to mobilise funds to rebuild the party and put it back on track," he said.
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