Former Head of State and presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in the 2007 presidential election, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa have agreed to form a political party which will serve as a platform to align with the South for the formation of a mega party.
The decision to float a party was taken at a meeting last Wednesday in Kaduna which was attended by 15 northern political leaders.
The meeting was held to finalise talks of the northern axis on the formation of a new political party.
A source who spoke to THISDAY on the outcome of the meeting said: “Not that we are against the formation of a mega party, but we have decided at the meeting to form a party of our own and use the party as a front to enter the mega party. This will give us equal footing with others that are coming for the mega party.
“In politics, you must have a political background and the new party is our vehicle into the mega party. Our entry through our party will give us equal membership. Very soon, you will hear details of what we are doing.”
Buba Galadima of Buhari Organisation, who also spoke to THISDAY, confirmed that proponents of the mega party in the North met in Kaduna at the residence of Buhari to finalise discussions on the formal launch of the party.
He said the launch of the party was initially slated for October 7 before it was put on hold to provide room for further consultation.
A meeting has consequently been slated to hold in two weeks, while another will hold in four weeks to decide the final date for the launch of the mega party.
THISDAY also gathered that at the Kaduna meeting, Buhari, Atiku and Bafarawa renounced their political ambitions in the overall interest of the nation so as to give room for the emergence of the new party in the North.
When asked to comment on this, Galadima said: “The leaders at the meeting believed that what is happening in the country demands personal sacrifice; therefore the question of presidential ambition does not arise now.”
He also disclosed that another meeting took place last Wednesday in Abuja between the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, Mr. Femi Falana and others on the modalities for presenting a private member bill on the electoral reform to the National Assembly.
Galadima explained that the meeting was to ensure that pitfalls that could stand against the private member electoral bill were detected and addressed, while also ensuring that all necessary issues concerning the electoral reform were taken care of before October 13 when the Senate may commence discussion on other aspects of the electoral reform.

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