NewsNigeriaPoliticsWhy Merger Between NNPP And LP Won’t Work – Kwankwaso

Rabiu Kwankwaso, Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has spoken on the reason the merger between his party and Peter Obi, the presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party (LP) will not work.

Speaking on Saturday during the inauguration of the state office of NNPP in Gombe, Kwankwaso confirmed that his party had been in talks with the LP for a possible merger, but he said the main issue hindering progress was who would become the presidential candidate of the alliance.

The former Governor of Kano State said he could not accept to be running mate to any presidential candidate because doing so would lead to the collapse of NNPP, which he helped to bring to limelight with his political profile and wealth of experience.

“From the discussion with Labour Party, the main issue was who becomes the president if the parties merge. At the end of the day, some of our representatives thought that there should be a criteria in terms of age, qualification, offices held, performance and so on,” Kwankwaso said.

“Of course, the other side wouldn’t want that. Most of the people from there believe that presidency has to go there (South East). If now I decide to be vice presidential candidate to anybody in this country; NNPP will collapse, because the party is based on what we have built in the last 30 years.

“I served for 17 years as a civil servant; we are talking of 47 years of very serious hard work that is what is rarely holding NNPP now.”

Kwankwaso stated that the best option for the South East was for the zone to partner with NNPP, noting that the zone lost out on the presidential and vice presidential candidates of both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but now has a chance with the NNPP.

“This is a golden opportunity, if they lose it, it will be a disaster,” he said.

He expressed optimism that Obi being on the ticket of the NNPP as a vice-presidential candidate in 2023 would provide a viable route for the South-East to actualize its presidential ambition in the future.