KEY POINTS
- Kwankwaso denies pact with Atiku, Obi for 2027 presidency.
- He criticizes the PDP for using manipulative tactics to get northern votes.
- Demand for honesty in political arrangements in future.
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, has denied entering into a rotational presidency pact with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party (LP) flag bearer, Peter Obi.
Asked about this, Kwankwsao, speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Monday, denied that he had recent contact with either politician.
Kwankwaso said he had chosen to be politically neutral until the end of 2024 ‘so that the tasks [of governance] are not distracted.’
He accused the PDP of using manipulative tactics to secure northern votes in the upcoming elections and also said that they must place any political arrangement in its proper historical context.
Challenges to PDP’s allegedly controversial tactics
Kwankwaso, however, criticised the PDP for its failure to address northern interests accusing the party of an internal crisis that resulted in the exit of some party bigwigs with same sentiments including Peter Obi and Nyesom Wike.
Kwankwaso said: “We loved the PDP, we loved the platform, but they humiliated us, made us leave the party and rebuild it ourselves.”
But he dismissed as ‘a complete lie with no basis in reality’ claims of a consensus deal in which Atiku would rule for four years followed by himself and then Peter Obi.
The sad story of elder statesment
He also denounced senior political figures he said were spreading lies about the purported pact. And such deceit destroyed the PDP and made genuine people leave the party,” he remarked.
He concludes by calling for honesty and accountability in any such future political engagements, asking for governance, instead of speculative alliances.
