The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) last night met to further explore the possibility of uniting to challenge the dominance of the Peoples Democratic Party. However, the sticking point remains the choice of the presidential flag bearer that will be presented as the consensus candidate in the forthcoming election.

Although, it was learnt that both parties had finally struck a deal after many months of speculation, it was still not clear who will be picked and on which platform he will contest.

Both the CPC and ACN have already chosen their candidates for the April 9 presidential contest, making it difficult for the two parties to agree on who should fly the joint ticket. While the CPC picked a former head of state, Muhammadu Buhari, the ACN settled for the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu.

Ongoing talks

Rotimi Fashakin, the spokesman of the CPC could not confirm if a signing ceremony will hold on Friday (today) as had been reported in some quarters. He merely said that both parties are still going on with the talks.

"The two parties are still talking but I cannot tell you anything more than that," he said in a telephone chat with NEXT last night.

Asked who will emerge the presidential candidate and running mate, Mr Fasahkin said he would prefer to speak after the deal has been sealed.

However, a source in the party said that the final papers guiding the alliance are ready but no date has been fixed to make the announcement.

"I cannot say if they will endorse it today," the source said yesterday.

At the Nuhu Ribadu presidential campaign office, a senior official, who asked not to be named, confirmed that talks were at an advanced stage.

The official however stated that the talks were less about determining a common presidential candidate for the two parties than on how to merge forces to beat the sitting People's Democratic Party (PDP) whch has been in power for the past 12 years. The official added that any possible merger would likely see Mr. Ribadu emerging as the preferred candidate.

"Discussions at any time did not veer in the direction of office allocation. There are on-going talks on how to house all progressives who are united around one social agenda starting from the political level, to economics, etc and to work together to take the PDP out of power. The belief is that all the parties that share this desire will at least quickly buy in and that is why the consultations are being done," our source said.

Another source at the campaign office talked about the general stance of progressives across the country.

"I was in a team that met with Buhari and what we basically told him is that he needs to give in to Ribadu. He is 70 years old and he cannot expect that he can do what he did at 40. It is only logical that he should let Ribadu take the lead," he said.

The two parties have only ten days until the deadline for submitting candidates as set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

i still dey laugh

2day's pdp is different frm 2007's, alliance or no alliance pdp will win with clear victory

Nsiman:

2day's pdp is different frm 2007's, alliance or no alliance pdp will win with clear victory

Are you saying that you are happy with the performance of PDP in the past 12years and hope for a change?

The past is bye gone, they are stretching forward to gain the lost glory that's why everything now is on transparency

Hodaya:

Are you saying that you are happy with the performance of PDP in the past 12years and hope for a change?

Don't let the way some people write shock you . Just look at it from the angle that some folks are totally engrossed with seeing a man from their region retaining the Presidency , by all means and at all cost, that they are totally blinded to what the PDP has done to Nigeria and what it continues to represent ideologically.

Nsiman:

2day's pdp is different frm 2007's, alliance or no alliance pdp will win with clear victory

BEAF=NSIMAN, 'cos of their(PDP) advanced rigging techniques?
You've not learnt from Ekiti.
Delta's own was just overlooked 'cos of 3 month tenure for that Gov.

Dont always think the evil will always thrive. People's attitude to acceptance of rigging is also different these days.
You need to campaign better for GEJ if u want a win.

Gbawe:

Don't let the way some people write shock you . Just look at it from the angle that some folks are totally engrossed with seeing a man from their region retaining the Presidency , by all means and at all cost, that they are totally blinded to what the PDP has done to Nigeria and what it continues to represent ideologically.

His comment really surprised me, may be he seem to be few of those benefiting from PDP,

fff

I dey laugh!

Very funny o. 

ACN will be irrelevant in this election as well.

i just gave you a solution.