Cracks widen over CPC/ACN merger plans •Atiku, Ribadu begin alliance talks

by Taiwo Adisa

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari

A huge crack has crept into the ranks of the leaders of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) over the planned merger with the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN), sources in the political circles have said.
The division, has continued to fester even after the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting attended by the party’s founder, General Muhammadu Buhari last week, where the merger plans were discussed.
Sources at a meeting of the party held at the instance of a chieftain of the party, Dr. Sule Hamman in Abuja on November 4 confirmed details of the cold war between el-Rufai-led CPC Renewal Committee and the party’s National Secretary Buba Galadima, which is said to be threatening to tear the CPC into shreds.
It was gathered that the division has affected the running of the party as General Buhari  and the party’s National Chairman, Prince Tony Momoh are also believed to be siding with the El-Rufai camp.
It was gathered that Momoh and El-Rufai have teamed up to champion the need for the CPC to merge with the ACN in order to guarantee itself of any positive electoral fortunes in 2015.
Hamman, who briefed the Abuja meeting was said to have told his colleagues in the party that el-Rufai and Momoh appeared to be leading the party into a blind agreement with the ACN.
The meeting was told that information at the disposal of top party men indicated that El-Rufai and Momoh have joined forces to continue to clamour for a CPC/ACN merger and that the plot to foist a merger on the party must have informed the long delay in holding the BOT meeting.
There is the belief that a lot of people are of the view that without concluding the CPC merger with the ACN and other parties the CPC will not succeed in its future electoral expectations.”
Sources however stated that members of the CPC have been cautioned to down play the division such that the party will not be eventually consumed by the rift.
 It was learnt that Galadima’s grouse is that both El-Rufa and Momoh who are championing merger with the ACN have not shown a good understanding of the politics of the South West and what the source called the hypocrisy of the ACN.
Meanwhile, it emerged at the weekend that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu  have opened talks on a possible working arrangement ahead of the 2015 general election.
Ribadu, who was the Presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) in the April 2011 election was said to have visited the former number two man in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo last week.
Sources in the know confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune that the former EFCC boss shortly after he submitted the report of the Presidential Committee on Oil sector Revenue to President Goodluck Jonathan last week visited Atiku at his Abuja residence where talks of a possible alliance between the camps of the duo were explored.
Although a source described the meeting as a peace meeting, it was gathered that the duo opened an avenue on the way forward.
According to a source, Ribadu has since discovered that the camp of President Goodluck Jonathan may not be too keen on drafting him into the fold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and that the time has come for him to forge ahead with his political career.
It was gathered that Ribadu is set to formally dump the ACN, the party that fielded him as a candidate in the 2011 election once he could fashion out a workable arrangement with an experienced political figure like Atiku.
Head of Atiku media office, Alhaji Garba Shehu confirmed on Sunday that the duo had agreed to work together for the good of Nigeria.
He said: “It is true there was meeting. They have reconciled and forgiven one another. Itis their hope to work together for the benefit of the nation.”
NigerianTribune