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Despite ongoing discussions between two major opposition
parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive
Change (CPC), findings by NEXT indicate that the parties will field separate
candidates in the 2011 elections.

Both parties have admitted being involved in negotiations which
will lead to a merger or an alliance. While the ACN negotiation team is lead by
Niyi Adebayo, former governor of Ekiti State, the CPC team is led by Aminu
Masari, former speaker of the House of Representatives.

Sources within the ACN however confirm that for reasons
including the short period before the general elections, the rigid positions of
the parties and the rejection of the alliance by top members of the ACN, the
proposed alliance would not work.

“Let me tell you that majority of our party leaders and members
do not support it. Also, there is no time for any merger. We have less than
four months to the elections, even the electoral act does not allow that,” a
national official of the ACN told NEXT. Apart from the four ACN governors
(Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, Adams Oshiomole of Edo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti,
and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun) who are reportedly opposed to the alliance, the
chairman of the party, Bisi AKande, is also said to be against it.

Mr Akande’s opposition is based on the insistence of the CPC
that Muhammadu Buhari, a retired General and former military ruler, should be
made the presidential candidate of any alliance that was formed. Mr. Buhari is
not only the CPC’s only presidential aspirant, the party was primarily formed
to help him achieve his presidential ambition.

“The CPC was founded on my authority by my political associates
as a solution to the debilitating ethical and ideological conflicts in my
former party, the ANPP,” the former head of state stated on the party’s
website.

Prior to the formation of the ACN, the Action Congress had
stated that its presidential candidate for the 2011 elections would be a young
man, a child of independence, who has demonstrated competence and integrity and
is untainted with corruption allegations.

Party for the young

After his unopposed re-election at the ACN convention in Benin
on Tuesday, Mr. Akande again restated this position in his acceptance speech.

“Now that the Action Congress of Nigeria and the entire people
of this country are happy with the services of these young men (four ACN
governors), I think you will all cooperate with me to ensure that we return
another young man as the President of Nigeria,” the party chairman stated while
surrounded by the four governors.

Unlike Mr. Buhari who is 68 years old, all the presidential
aspirants of the ACN are around 50. The Action Congress presently has three
presidential aspirants. They are Uba Saidu Malami (46) a businessman; Attahiru
Bafarawa (56), former governor of Sokoto State; and Nuhu Ribadu (50), former
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Usman Bugaje, the former National Secretary of the party, is
believed to have dropped his presidential ambition and will instead run for
governor of Katsina state.

“We can say boldly that our party has the youngest and brightest
presidential aspirants in the country,” Lai Mohammed, the national publicity
secretary of the ACN stated while commenting on the relatively young
presidential aspirants of the party.

Another senior official of the party said barring last minute
political upheavals, Mr. Ribadu will likely emerge the presidential candidate
of the party.

Some of the factors believed to be working for Mr. Ribadu, apart
from meeting the criteria the party set up, are his popularity not just within
the ACN but also across different political parties, and his acceptance and
popularity among young Nigerians.

Mr Ribadu proved his political acceptance when leaders gathered
at the Thisday dome in Abuja on Tuesday, December 14 to launch his
autobiography, “My Story, My vision.” Describing the former EFCC boss, Ken
Nnamani, former senate President and PDP chieftain stated that “Nuhu is one of
the few Nigerians that I consider a good example.

The type of courage he has is the type of courage Nigeria needs
if we indeed want to join the committee of Nations in the year 2020.” Another
PDP leader who clamoured for a Ribadu presidency is Femi Fani- Kayode, the
former aviation minister.

“If a man like Ribadu emerges as your candidate, many many
people from PDP, from APGA, will join your party,” Mr. Fani-Kayode stated.

The National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance
(APGA), Victor Umeh, as well as other APGA chieftains are also said to be
rooting for a Ribadu candidacy if they are to join any alliance.

The Tinubu factor

One person who many believe is going to influence the decision
of whether the ACN picks Mr. Ribadu or joins forces with the CPC to pick Mr.
Buhari as the presidential candidate is Bola Tinubu, former Lagos State
governor and the most influential ACN chieftain.

“Asiwaju wants an alliance of progressive political parties to
defeat the monster called PDP, that is why he is encouraging the talks. But
definitely he supports that all presidential aspirants go for primaries,” one
of his aides said.