Choice of candidates may split APC

Buhari, Tinubu and Onu

Distrust over the likely imposition of candidates by godfathers of the newly formed All Progressives Congress is causing disquiet in the ranks of the APC.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the issue had made some members working to form the alliance to warn that they might be forced to pull out if the godfathers insisted on giving automatic tickets to candidates of their choice in the governorship elections in Anambra, Osun and Ekiti states in 2014 as well as the general elections in 2015.

The issue was a major point of discussion during negotiations by representatives of the parties in the alliance – All Progressives Grand Alliance, Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party and Congress for Progressive Change.

A source, who was part of the negotiations, told Saturday PUNCH that the representatives had to sign an agreement that all candidates must go through free and fair primaries.

CPC presidential candidate in the 2011 elections, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, gave an indication of this in an interview granted a television station based in Kaduna on Saturday.

He had reportedly said he would only drop his ambition if he was defeated in a transparent contest.

A major source of discord in all the political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party, has been the problem of imposition of candidates by godfathers.

This forced many members to either defect to other parties or work against the chosen candidates.

The fear is reinforced by the keen interest being shown by aggrieved PDP members, whom the source said, had been reaching out to APC leaders to guarantee them automatic tickets in the forthcoming elections.

This is based on their worry that PDP leaders may frustrate their respective ambitions.

However, CPC National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, said there was no cause for alarm on the issue, adding, “We are far from that bridge.”

When contacted, ACN National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said, “We decided to enter these merger talks without preconditions. A party which is yet to agree on a manifesto and a constitution cannot be talking about who flies our flag.”

Source: www.punching.com

http://www.punchng.com/news/choice-of-candidates-may-split-apc/