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Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly and former running mate to the presidential candidate of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Muhammadu Buhari, was the one who moved for the dissolution of the CPC to pave way for its merger into the All Progressives Congress (APC). Before last week's convention of the CPC, Bakare was not known to have endorsed the merger plans.
As a matter of fact, he said he did not know those with whom Buhari was planning a merger. So, has he changed his mind? No! Instead, he told Nigerians to watch the ongoing merger with cautious optimism.
Extract of His Interview:Question: Do you think that the ongoing merger plan among the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a section of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) would bring solution to the nation's challenges if the merger eventually succeeds?
Answer: May be it will work or not; it is something we are all waiting to see. But at present, there is no merger, there is no APC, so we cannot start counting the eggs that are not hatched. But it is an ongoing process.
ACN, CPC and ANPP have all dissolved
The dissolution meaning what? They have dissolved into a non-existing APC. That doesn't make any sense to me. I am aware that a merger process is on, the parties involved are still talking and they have not dissolved into anything.
Question: But you moved the motion for CPC to dissolve and the subsequent ratification of the merger?
Answer: Let them finish the process for the merger first. We should allow the baby to be born first before we start giving name. If you listen to my closing remarks at the CPC convention, I said let all men of goodwill watch, this time calls for sober reflection and optimistic vigilance because the enemy – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not going to fold its arms and allow the entire process succeed unchallenged. Look, PDP is not ready for any healthy competition, therefore those who are discussing merger must know they are doing it for the sake of the nation and not just for pocket sharing or personal gains.
Question: What is your true position in the merger, are you for it or not?
Answer: I am not the issue. I am not CPC, I'm not ACN or ANPP or APGA? I agreed to run with the CPC Presidential Candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in 2011 because of his track record, discipline, integrity, incorruptibility and so on. I worked with him in the party based on this and I believe I discharged my responsibility to Buhari. If the principle behind the merger is to ensure democratic governance in the country, if the people behind it have the goodwill and want the best for the nation, if it is not just to take away from PDP to handle it like PDP, then I will advocate caution with optimism.