A former Governor of Kano State and Presidential Candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has explained why he cannot be running mate to the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, in the 2022 general election.
Kwankwaso, who was also a former senator and one-time Minister of Defence, said that it will be difficult for the Northern voters to vote for a presidential candidate from the South-East because they are not comfortable with most of the things happening in the South, especially in the South East.
This was made known by Rabiu Kwankwaso on Sunday night, July 3, 2022, while appearing on a Channels Television Programme, Sunday Politics.
Kwankwaso said that any arrangement that produces the presidential candidate from the South East, the north would not vote for the party, but would rather vote for a northern candidate.
Kwankwaso wants Peter Obi as running mate
Kwankwaso, however, proposed an alliance with the presidential candidate of the Labour Party and former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, whom he wants to be his running mate in the poll.
He said, “I believe it is in the interest of Labour Party and the NNPP, and even in the interest of this country … because LP, as it stands today, certainly cannot win election. Yes! It cannot win elections.
“Because mainly, the support is mainly in a particular zone and not spread, and the figures there cannot earn anybody a presidential seat in this country.”
Why Peter Obi should accept to be running mate
Although Kwankwaso is hopeful of an alliance, he explained why he cannot be a running mate to Obi and why the latter should accept the vice-presidential slot.
He said, “The major issue, as it stands today, is the issue of who becomes the president and who becomes the vice president and I believe this is the time really to advise – especially those who are positively behind the candidate of the Labour Party – that for me, I have seen an opportunity for the South East to be relevant in the next dispensation. In PDP, they are completely out, and so in the APC. The only opportunity now is the NNPP.
‘’You see Northern voter is the worst hit on this issue of maladministration in this country, but even under that circumstances, a northern voter believes he is better off under one united Nigeria and now most of the things that are happening in the South, especially in the South-East; people are not comfortable with that and as long as you have somebody from there in any party, it will be very difficult for the northern voters to vote, and that’s the situation now.
‘’And those workers that are in actual sense working against LP, Southeast and so on, what they believe is if you put anybody under this arrangement from that side of the country, the northern voters will not vote. And who would they vote for? Their own candidate in the north.
On whether he can be running mate to Peter Obi, Kwankwaso said, ‘’Ordinarily, I am jobless now. I am not doing any job now. But to become a vice president, if anybody from the Southeast under this circumstance becomes the presidential candidate of our party or any other party, the implication is that because of activities and many other issues that are real on the ground, Northern voters will certainly go for northern candidates in another party.
‘’So the thinking is that is not whether I like it or I don’t like it, the facts remain that everybody will lose. He will lose, I will lose.”
Does that mean that Nigeria belong to northerners.we shall see
Your Excellency, I thank you for clearing the air on the merger arrangement between your Party NNPP and NLC of Mr. Peter Obi.
I appreciate your concern that the average northerner will not support voting for a souther candidate worst still a South Eastern candidate.
Your Excellency Sir, you have not in any way condem the personality of Mr. Peter Obi but rather his region. I will therefore suggest you have a rethink for purposes of unity, equity, fairness and National interest.
I wish to state that Peter Obi has emerged as a figue head for a movement. A movement that is driven by desire for a change in the way things were done, a change for complete orientation in the pattern of governance, a change that brought to fore political awareness and participation.
I therefore submit that we should accept that the political trajectory has changed direction.
It now goes beyond regional reasoning. The earlier we accept the reality the better for us all.
Above submission is my personal opinion.
His excellence I greet you and I understand your point of view but failure is not an option or what we should be tinking right now. concluding that we will Fair is very bad so let’s try our best
Oga kwankwaso, you might have done ur calculations and analysis and come to the conclusion that a southerner talk more of a south easterner can never win a presidential election in nigeria, but i tell that how it will happen will shock even the oyibo intelligence you hire to help you in destruying this country. And it will happen in 2023. #obidient