APC Leaders Agree On Office Sharing Formula
APC Leaders Agree On Office Sharing Formula
The merger committee of the opposition
political parties has adopted equality as the basis for sharing of
offices of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The
issue of the formula was said to have become a contentious issue, but a
source in the committee told LEADERSHIP last night that the matter had
been resolved underneath, adding that “the merger is as good as fully
consummated”.
The clarification was against the backdrop of reports that some of the four political parties that are merging into the APC had differed sharply on the initial modalities for sharing positions in the planned party, which was hinged on the strength of each party in the last general election, particularly in the National Assembly.
An online outfit, Premium Times, had posted that the protesting parties in the merger were the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Some of the parties, it posted on its site, expressed discomfort at the recommendations of a sub-committee of the Joint Inter-Party Merger Committee (JIMC), which states that positions in the association should be based either on the strength of each of the four parties in the National Assembly or the result of the 2011 general elections, both at the federal and state levels.
But the two modalities, some party leaders who spoke off the record said, might favour the ACN against the others.
The ACN has the highest number of legislators in the National Assembly. The party has 26 members in the Senate and 71 members in the House of Representatives, bringing the total to 97.
ANPP has 7 senators and 27 members in the House of Representatives, bringing the total to 34.
The CPC has 47 members in the National Assembly with 7 in the Senate and 40 in the lower legislative chamber. APGA has only one senator and seven representatives.
The national leaderships of ANPP and CPC are allegedly not comfortable with the proposals, which it believes will short-change the party, if eventually adopted.
It was learnt that the two parties were putting together the position they would present before the meeting.
However, LEADERSHIP learnt from an insider who would not want his name in print that the issue had been tackled “underneath” to pave way for the final consummation of the merger. “There is nothing like sharing of positions in APC based on party strength and, again, that was just a recommendation, which was scoffed at. So the push now is that everything must be based on equality of parties. I believe that is the position that has been agreed to and which of course would guide further actions of the merger committee. But I can tell you that the merger is as good as consummated,” he said.
The association postponed its meeting earlier slated for Thursday, April 4, to yesterday.
The CPC spokesman, Rotimi Fashakin, confirmed the disagreement but expressed optimism that the matter would be resolved.
“We disagree to agree,” Mr Fashakin told our reporters. “Even the issue of logo, we disagreed on it but finally agreed. This one, too, we will agree at a point.”
The
issue of the formula was said to have become a contentious issue, but a
source in the committee told LEADERSHIP last night that the matter had
been resolved underneath, adding that “the merger is as good as fully
consummated”.The clarification was against the backdrop of reports that some of the four political parties that are merging into the APC had differed sharply on the initial modalities for sharing positions in the planned party, which was hinged on the strength of each party in the last general election, particularly in the National Assembly.
An online outfit, Premium Times, had posted that the protesting parties in the merger were the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Some of the parties, it posted on its site, expressed discomfort at the recommendations of a sub-committee of the Joint Inter-Party Merger Committee (JIMC), which states that positions in the association should be based either on the strength of each of the four parties in the National Assembly or the result of the 2011 general elections, both at the federal and state levels.
But the two modalities, some party leaders who spoke off the record said, might favour the ACN against the others.
The ACN has the highest number of legislators in the National Assembly. The party has 26 members in the Senate and 71 members in the House of Representatives, bringing the total to 97.
ANPP has 7 senators and 27 members in the House of Representatives, bringing the total to 34.
The CPC has 47 members in the National Assembly with 7 in the Senate and 40 in the lower legislative chamber. APGA has only one senator and seven representatives.
The national leaderships of ANPP and CPC are allegedly not comfortable with the proposals, which it believes will short-change the party, if eventually adopted.
It was learnt that the two parties were putting together the position they would present before the meeting.
However, LEADERSHIP learnt from an insider who would not want his name in print that the issue had been tackled “underneath” to pave way for the final consummation of the merger. “There is nothing like sharing of positions in APC based on party strength and, again, that was just a recommendation, which was scoffed at. So the push now is that everything must be based on equality of parties. I believe that is the position that has been agreed to and which of course would guide further actions of the merger committee. But I can tell you that the merger is as good as consummated,” he said.
The association postponed its meeting earlier slated for Thursday, April 4, to yesterday.
The CPC spokesman, Rotimi Fashakin, confirmed the disagreement but expressed optimism that the matter would be resolved.
“We disagree to agree,” Mr Fashakin told our reporters. “Even the issue of logo, we disagreed on it but finally agreed. This one, too, we will agree at a point.”
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