The New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) has called on the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to respect his age and quit the race for its candidate, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
NNPP also said that it was not in any discussion with Atiku over possible alliance or support in the February 25 presidential election.
This is as the Labour Party (LP) also said that it was not in any talk with the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for possible support or alliance.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja, the NNPP national chairman, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, said party members were worried over Atiku’s statement on possible alliance, insisting that they were not in alliance talk with the PDP.
“Our members have been worried because we have huge crowds in the South and in the North. Our presidential candidate is campaigning. Our gubernatorial candidates, Senatorial candidates, House of Representatives candidates and the State House of Assembly candidates have been campaigning.
“Since we came up with this mantra for a new Nigeria, we’ve not been engaged in unnecessary controversy. As a responsible party, we have been taken for granted.
“We are not in talk with Atiku.
He should know that there are other people who have the right to be president and Kwankwaso has done a lot for Nigerians and Nigeria. Kwankwaso is a forerunner in the contest.
“The idea of the Northern Agenda is not true. The election of 2023 is different. Some leaders whose agenda is to work for some candidate, want a northern candidate. We kept quiet when Atiku said he was the Northern candidate. They talked about a government of national unity. Nobody is talking about that when it is convenient but we have no talk with Atiku and we are not planning an alliance with Atiku. He should respect his age and he can’t force anyone to endorse him,” Prof. Alkali said.
According to the NNPP national chairman, “We are following the INEC guidelines and the Electoral Act.
“We produce agents in all the polling units. Most of these parties making noise today don’t have agents. The PDP of yesterday is not the PDP of today. It’s not the party of Abubakar Rimi, Sunday Awoniyi, Sule Lamido, Solomon Lar and the rest.
“Five governors are not with Atiku. These governors are coming from powerful states. The two others have been sending messages that they will not support Atiku.
“We thought that anyone contesting an election should put his house together. We left the PDP because we knew it would implode. It is not the same party as yesterday. In the next one week, some will leave the PDP.
“What Kwankwanso is doing is unprecedented and that is why they are afraid. This election is for the people. Today, no presidential candidate has done what Kwankwaso has done in this election.
“We want to say that nobody has anything to offer other than Kwankwaso. Kwankwaso has done everything and nothing happen in Nigeria that Kwankwanso will not travel to address such a crisis. It’s Kwankwaso that has been fighting for the North. Kwankwaso can move to any state today because he has no enemy.
“By May 29, 2023 when Kwankwaso is sworn in, he will scrap JAMB and protect national assets but Atiku wants to sell them. NNPP disassociates itself from Atiku and the purported alliance,” Alkali said adding that it will be a big tragedy for APC or PDP to continue governing Nigeria.
On the currency swap crisis, Alkali said the timing was wrong, calling on the CBN not to force the people to revolt.
“Kwankwaso says to anyone that did not change his money, when sworn in as president, everyone will take his money to the bank. The CBN Act gives six months. So, why is the CBN pushing for it now?” Alkali asked.
Meanwhile, LP has also denied having alliance talks with the presidential candidate of the PDP.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP, the spokesman of the Labour Party campaign council, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said they have been going to every state of the country campaigning, insisting that they will win the election.
“There is nothing like that,” Tanko said of the purported alliance talk with Atiku.
“We are concentrating on our campaigns. Our presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was in Sokoto, Kano, Adamawa and other States. We have the support of the people.
We are not in talk with PDP, we are not in talk with Atiku. We will win this election. We are not in any discussion and alliance,” Tanko added.
