Tag Archives: Merger

APC Plans Merger Anniversary Celebration

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The All Progressives Congress (APC)  has disclosed that  it intends to roll out drums at the end of the month to mark the two year anniversary of the coming together of major opposition political parties to clinch victory at the presidential polls.

APC was registered by INEC July 31, 2013, and by June 13, the party elected its substantive national leadership.

Speaking in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, the party’s National Organising Secretary and the chairman of the anniversary committee, Senator Osita Izunaso, said  APC had every reason to celebrate  its existence as a political party because of it numerous achievements recorded in the last two years.

He said it was unprecedented that within two years of the APC’s registration as a party, it has 22 governors, controlling the two chambers of the National Assembly and also have President Muhammadu Buhari as the number one citizen of Nigeria.

According to him,  it would not only be a mere celebration, but the party would use the opportunity to embark on soul-searching exercise on how best to deliver on the promises made to the Nigerians.

“We also want to use the avenue for internal soul search to let ourselves know that the task ahead is more than the one behind,” he said.

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Joda Committee Proposes Merger Of DPR, NERC

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The Nigerian Government may be considering the establishment within the next 30 days of an inter-ministerial energy committee that would undertake the regulatory functions of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in the gas/electricity value chain, to ensure uninterrupted supply of natural gas from the oil companies to the power plants in the country.

Under the National Gas Master Plan, the DPR is mandated to implement a Gas Pricing Regulation framework of 2007, which provides the legal basis for gas supply to domestic market, particularly the power sector, to provide the energy required to power productive activities in the economy.

On the other hand, NERC has the responsibilities under the Electric Power Sector Reform Act to undertake the technical and economic regulation of the tariff, approval of capacity expansion and business plans in the electricity industry value chain.

To guarantee the energy necessary to drive productive activities in the economy, the Finance and Economy sub-committee of the Ahmed Joda-led Transition Committee set up by the ruling All Progressives Congress to assist the smooth take off of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, recommended that the creation of the committee that would merge and streamline decision making processes between the two agencies and increase regulatory certainty and investor confidence in the power sector.

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We Are Open To Merger, Says PDP

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The Peoples Democratic Party has said that it is not contemplating a change of identity, noting that the vision of its founding fathers remains timeless. The party also said it was open to merging with other political parties and associations that shared its ideals.

The party insisted that it was still a national political party with the strength and spread to regain pre-eminence, despite losing control of the Federal Government and some states in the last general elections.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, in Abuja on Sunday, said that “having been the guardian of Nigerian democracy for 16 years during which it nurtured and blossomed democratic governance as well as etched its name in the pantheon of good governance, the PDP will not in the circumstance of ephemeral loss of power change its identity or its time-honoured characteristic values.”

The party said though it was committed to its present structures, it would not close its doors to other political parties wishing to be assimilated into its fold as the best vehicle for the fulfillment of political aspirations of all Nigerians regardless of tribe and religion.

It said, “We have a name, tradition and values. Sixteen fruitful years as the guardian of Nigerian democracy cannot be nullified by the reason of a temporary setback. We shall rise beyond all and regain our rhythm.

“Our colour remains green, white and red and power still belongs to the people. And to assert that we are proud of the successes of our successive leaders in taking Nigeria to its present height is an understatement, which the passage of the next four years under the All Progressives Congress will certainly prove.”

The party added that the fact that it was going into opposition would not mitigate its ability as the flagship of democracy, maintaining that it would soar higher in providing credible alternative as a constructive opposition, “far removed from the wrathful destruction that the APC lived thus far.”

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PDP Leaders Plot Change Of Name, Merger With Smaller Parties

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 Top shots of the Peoples Democratic Party have set plans in motion to dissolve the party and merge with other parties with “similar ideology” to form a stronger and fresher coalition after the handover of power on May 29.

The PDP, which has ruled Nigeria since 1999, lost the March 28 presidential election to the opposition All Progressives Congress.

The party also lost its majority position in the two houses of the National Assembly, as well as governorship elections in many states especially in the north where it could only retain Gombe and Taraba states.

The party’s victory in Rivers and Akwa Ibom state is also being threatened by a strong set of evidence of rigging in the April 11 governorship election in the two states.

PREMIUM TIMES investigations revealed that Governors Sule Lamido, Godswill Akpabio, Muazu Aliyu and a few other governors are pushing towards forming an alliance with other parties.

Top PDP members of the party, such former defence chief, Theophilus Danjuma, former finance minister, Adamu Ciroma, and others, are in the lead.

A source, familiar with the moves, informed PREMIUM TIMES that the PDP is planning to merge with the All Progressive Grand Alliance, Labour Party, Kowa, Hope Party and others to form a mega opposition party to challenge the APC.  “There will be a special convention after the handover on May 29 where a formal merger process will start,” he said.

The spokesperson to Governor Muazu Aliyu of Niger state, Israel Ebije, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that Mr. Aliyu is working alongside other colleagues to “take over” the party.

“You are right,” Mr. Ebije said. “There are moves going on along this direction and the plan is to transform the party into a very formidable opposition. Many individuals and of course political parties of like minds would be invited to be on board.”

He also said Governors Lamido and Aliyu decided to stay in the PDP as a matter of principle. “They cannot leave a house they built to tenants to take over,” he said.

Mr. Ebije said the plan for a new, stronger party may not come as soon as power is handed over.

“The PDP convention will take place on May 15, 2016 and the plan is to take over the leadership with people who can deliver,” he said.

He also said that those pushing for the agenda have concluded that the word PDP has become toxic to Nigerians and that it will be counterproductive to continue to use it as a viable opposition party.

“PDP may go and a new party may emerge, that is the way to go,” he said.

Our source added that the new party would engage in aggressive membership drive as soon as it comes on board. He said the new party will monitor events in the APC and is hoping that after the President elect, Muhammadu Buhari, forms his cabinet, a few people who have no place will feel disappointed and would join the opposition.

The APC was formed through the merger of three main opposition parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, and the Congress for Progressive Change, as well as a faction of APGA in 2013.

The formation of the APC brought about a strong challenge to the PDP, which had been in power since the return to democratic rule in 1998.

The new party’s efforts were helped by the defection of five governors and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the PDP after they staged a walkout at the national convention of the party in Abuja in 2013.

Speaking on Saturday, our source said the new party, when formed, also plans to court as many retired Nigerians as possible, particularly those seen as “apolitical”, to swell its ranks and put it on a strong pedestal to challenge the APC.

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