by Abbas Jimoh
Lai Mohammed
Spokesman for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Lai Mohammed,
says some governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are likely to
join the newly floated merger party, the All Progressive Congress
(APC) unveiled by the four main opposition parties, among other issues. Excerpts:
Weekly Trust: What is the focus of the joint party formed by the four main opposition parties?
Lai Mohammed: The aim is to salvage Nigeria from the brink of collapse. It is an amalgamation of progressive parties who have watched with dismay the gradual slide into anarchy, insecurity and almost absence of infrastructure. These are some of the reasons driving this party contrary to what the PDP is touting. It is not about those who want to be president, it is about serving Nigeria.
How is the merger party going to accommodate the political ambitions of opposition leaders?
General Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu are the most vilified Nigerians today and those of us who closely work with them know that contrary to that assumption, they are among the most patriotic Nigerians. What is paramount to both of them is salvation of Nigeria and not their individual or personal ambitions.
The ANPP seems uncomfortable with the merger as some chieftains of the party are still opting for alliance in place of merger, was this matter resolved before the formation of APC?
The mandate of the ANPP merger committee led by former Kano State governor Ibrahim Shekarau has been read to us yesterday (Wednesday) and is clear that the mandate of the committee is to merge, matters have gone far beyond that, as we know two days ago, ten governors adopted the merger, meaning that any political party today which is not ready with us is not speaking for the people of the state they represent and also for the party itself and like I said, we are not going to accommodate individuals’ ego or ambition rather we are more interested in the corporate existence of this country.
How about the APGA crisis and what is the stance of the Labour Party in this arrangement?
Any progressive party that want to join us are free to come, it is not closed but open ended, but you must believe in what we believe in.
Apart from the presidency, what plan is the APC having for the states?
With this merger, the scope is beyond the presidency, we will definitely win more states, more members of the National Assembly. Also, there are many governors in the PDP today who are only waiting for the conclusion and formalisation of the party before they come to join us.
Are you saying some PDP governors are decamping to APC?
Just wait and see, they are preparing and will re-contest on the APC platform, same goes for many PDP National Assembly members and even many of the PDP stalwarts. What we are going to witness very soon is a mass exodus of people from the PDP and other parties into the APC.
Are you prepared to handle splinter groups to avoid disintegration like what happened to the Alliance for Democracy (AD)?
Whoever is not going may stay behind, the train will move and leave them behind, don’t forget that in this merger, it is not 70 or 80 percent, it is 100 per cent, so, our appeal and strategy has been known and accepted by Nigerians going by the reactions since the announcement of the merger. Nigerians have been waiting for this to happen and the celebration shows what they have been waiting for the arrival of the mega party.
How are you taking the PDP’s reaction to the merger?
They may attempt to destabilise and we are not unaware of their schemes, we are not naive and I can assure you that this movement is bigger than that.
Lai Mohammed: The aim is to salvage Nigeria from the brink of collapse. It is an amalgamation of progressive parties who have watched with dismay the gradual slide into anarchy, insecurity and almost absence of infrastructure. These are some of the reasons driving this party contrary to what the PDP is touting. It is not about those who want to be president, it is about serving Nigeria.
How is the merger party going to accommodate the political ambitions of opposition leaders?
General Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu are the most vilified Nigerians today and those of us who closely work with them know that contrary to that assumption, they are among the most patriotic Nigerians. What is paramount to both of them is salvation of Nigeria and not their individual or personal ambitions.
The ANPP seems uncomfortable with the merger as some chieftains of the party are still opting for alliance in place of merger, was this matter resolved before the formation of APC?
The mandate of the ANPP merger committee led by former Kano State governor Ibrahim Shekarau has been read to us yesterday (Wednesday) and is clear that the mandate of the committee is to merge, matters have gone far beyond that, as we know two days ago, ten governors adopted the merger, meaning that any political party today which is not ready with us is not speaking for the people of the state they represent and also for the party itself and like I said, we are not going to accommodate individuals’ ego or ambition rather we are more interested in the corporate existence of this country.
How about the APGA crisis and what is the stance of the Labour Party in this arrangement?
Any progressive party that want to join us are free to come, it is not closed but open ended, but you must believe in what we believe in.
Apart from the presidency, what plan is the APC having for the states?
With this merger, the scope is beyond the presidency, we will definitely win more states, more members of the National Assembly. Also, there are many governors in the PDP today who are only waiting for the conclusion and formalisation of the party before they come to join us.
Are you saying some PDP governors are decamping to APC?
Just wait and see, they are preparing and will re-contest on the APC platform, same goes for many PDP National Assembly members and even many of the PDP stalwarts. What we are going to witness very soon is a mass exodus of people from the PDP and other parties into the APC.
Are you prepared to handle splinter groups to avoid disintegration like what happened to the Alliance for Democracy (AD)?
Whoever is not going may stay behind, the train will move and leave them behind, don’t forget that in this merger, it is not 70 or 80 percent, it is 100 per cent, so, our appeal and strategy has been known and accepted by Nigerians going by the reactions since the announcement of the merger. Nigerians have been waiting for this to happen and the celebration shows what they have been waiting for the arrival of the mega party.
How are you taking the PDP’s reaction to the merger?
They may attempt to destabilise and we are not unaware of their schemes, we are not naive and I can assure you that this movement is bigger than that.
WeeklyTrust
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