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Tag: kwankwaso

  • 2023: NNPP reacts to Kwankwaso, Atiku meeting in private

    2023: NNPP reacts to Kwankwaso, Atiku meeting in private

    New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) says its Presidential Candidate, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, has neither met nor discussed with his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) opponent, Atiku Abubakar, or his representatives in private on working relationship on the 2023 presidential election.

    The spokesperson, Kwankwaso/NNPP Presidential Campaign Council, Ladipo Johnson, disclosed this in a statement he issued on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Johnson said that it was apparent that Kwankwaso was finishing the race stronger than other presidential candidates, especially Abubakar of the PDP.

    He said this was clear as Abubakar seemed to be “gasping for air as his platform crumbles and is seeking a solid branch to hold on!”

    Johnson said his response was important due to the statement by Abubakar that he was “in touch with Kwankwaso”.

    He said the response was also key because of the false statements on social media that three million members of the Kwankwasiyya movement in the North East had moved to the PDP.

    The spokesperson described it as orchestrated moves by Atiku’s campaign to pass a false and mischievous narrative to Nigerians that Kwankwaso was joining his team.

    “The fact of the matter is that neither Atiku and Kwankwaso nor their representatives have met in private or at all to discuss any working relationship.

    “They have only met during town hall meetings in the last few months!

    “Nigerians will recall that earlier in the campaign the false narrative being pushed was that Kwankwaso was only strong in Kano!

    “ He suddenly has three million members leaving him in the North East?”

    Johnson reiterated that Kwankwaso was not stepping down for, nor working with any of the candidates or Atiku Abubakar.

    “We are in this race to win and uplift the standard of living of all Nigerians.

    “Opponents who have seen the ground game and the grassroots campaign of Kwankwaso now understand, 24 days to the polls, that the voters at the grassroots, the average man and woman, have decided to vote for Kwankwaso and the NNPP as their party of choice.”

  • Kwankwaso points out people behind Nigeria’s problem

    Kwankwaso points out people behind Nigeria’s problem

    The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso has pointed out the particular Nigerians behind the nation’s problem.

    Kwankwaso disclosed this while speaking about his vision for Nigeria at Chatham House.

    He said his party is working to penetrate the Southern part of the country.

    According to Kwankwaso: “Forget about the big people, who are actually the problem of our country.

    “In Northern Nigeria today in terms of votes and support. Now we are working in the Southern part of the country.”

  • Kwankwaso pledges to make JAMB result valid for 4 years

    Kwankwaso pledges to make JAMB result valid for 4 years

    The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Rabiu Kwankwso, has pledged to make the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) result valid for four years.

    Kwankwaso made the pledge while presenting party flags to six North East States gubernatorial and 18 Senatorial candidates of the party at the North East presidential rally on Thursday in Bauchi.

    He noted that many students sit for JAMB examinations, come up with good grades, but for one reason or the other, they end up not being offered admission, and as well it is not their fault.

    “These students and their parents are made to bear the financial burden to sit for the examinations the next year but when voted into power, “we will make JAMB results valid for four years.

    “We will introduce a four-year moratorium for JAMB so that our children can use the same JAMB results to gain admission into our tertiary education institutions within this period,” he said.

    The presidential candidate promised to make application forms for admission and employment free if elected president.

    “We will upgrade and expand all our universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education and raise their standard to global competitiveness.

    “My government will construct 500,000 classrooms across the federation, to accommodate the over 20 million out-of-school children.

    “We will make all examinations such as WASC, NECO, NABTEB, NBIAS, JAMB among others free,” he said.

    Kwankwaso said all the NNPP gubernatorial candidates of the North East region have the qualifications, capacity to provide good governance for the people of the region.

    Governorship candidates that received flags included Saadu Tahir Adamawa, Sen. Haliru Jika Bauchi, Dr Umar Alkali Borno, Mohammed Mailantarki, Gombe,Yahaya Sani, Taraba, and Umar Alhaji Yobe States.

    Also Speaking, NNPP Governorship candidate in Bauchi state, Sen. Jika, urged his supporters to remain focused and come out en masse and vote for NPPP from top to bottom.

    “We want to change the narratives of leadership of the country, our party believes in all inclusive purposefulness with determination of providing dividends of democracy to the citizens,” he said.

  • 2023: Accord reveals illegal exco forced Kwankwaso, others exit

    2023: Accord reveals illegal exco forced Kwankwaso, others exit

    The frustrated alliance between the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Political Congress Party (NNPC) -Musa Kwankwaso and other well meaning top politicians with the Accord Party(AP) was due to the illegitimate sit-tight exco of the party.

    This was revealed during a media chat with journalists in Awka, the Anambra State capital on Thursday by the incumbent Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party, Hon Innocent Igboekwe noted that the former Kano state Governor particularly, interpreted the scenario well and took a walk.

    According to Igboekwe, Alh Kwankwaso as an experienced politician apparently reasoned the unsettled dicey situation could damage both his reputation and political calculations if he’s caught in the unfolding web.

    Addressing a very well attended South East zonal executive from Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and Abia States this afternoon in Awka, Igboekwe went down memory lane of how the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) sacked the party’s executive structure led by Alh Mohammed Law an Narado in 2015. This same executive, against all lawful counsel continued to clutch unto any form of straw ever since.

    ”Consequently we then went to court to seek their removal. This is an exco that have been in power since 2013, yet refused to allow congress for election of new national, zonal, state and ward executive structures to emerge.

    That’s why any discerning mind like the Labour Party, and Alh Kwankwaso who realized that anything done with the illegitimate exco would not stand at the long run. So they easily left to avoid being festered with their illegality.

    Naming Rev Adeniyi as the new National chairman, the National Vice Chairman (South East) Hon Emeka Chigbo who was flanked by other abuzz leaders disclosed that he summoned the meeting to brief them on the journey so far, true situation of affairs and to prepare all the states, local government areas and wards for formal inauguration soon. That soon after the anticipated favourable verdict coming up on Jan 25,2023 all nooks and crannies of Nigeria would be abuzz with Accord Party activities.

    Chigbo allayed fears of anymore infighting, fractionalization or disunity in the party, “because such era is gone.

    “That’s why we simply went to court to have the former national chairman, Alh Narado and his co-travellers removed.

    “They had taken over in 2013, and presided for two tenures of four years each.

    “We shall constitute and inaugurate a new executive structure soon.”

  • Obi endorsement: ‘Our leaders should stop disgracing themselves’ – Kwankwaso slams Obasanjo, Clark

    Obi endorsement: ‘Our leaders should stop disgracing themselves’ – Kwankwaso slams Obasanjo, Clark

    New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso, has slammed former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Ijaw national leader, Edwin Clark for publicly endorsing Labour Party flagbearer, Peter Obi ahead of the 2023 presidential election in February.

    Kwankwaso said he advise the leaders to stop disgracing themselves, that there is a time in life when you become a real statesman, not a politician.

    He stated this on Wednesday when he visited the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House in Benin.

    “Some of the people… we have seen on the news that they are supporting Mr A or Mr B, I think it is a big mistake. These are leaders I respect. There is a time in your life when you become a real statesman, not a politician.

    “I can tell you also that any candidate or party that comes out with the face of ethnicity or the issue of religion, that party, that candidate, I can assure, at the national level, has failed that election before it starts.

    “And I want to advise our leaders: they should stop disgracing themselves. We have so much respect for them,” Kwankwaso said.

  • Mixed Reactions as Obi, Kwankwso, Atiku get Chatham House Invite

    Mixed Reactions as Obi, Kwankwso, Atiku get Chatham House Invite

    Chatham House which recently hosted the Presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has also extended invitations to the flagbearers of three other leading political parties and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mahmood Yakubu, sparking a mixed-reaction from Nigerians.

    A former Governor of Anambra State, Southeast Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi, will be next to speak at the Chatham House in London, United Kingdom, on the country’s 2023 elections and political developments.

    The meeting, a members and Africa programme designed as part of a series of events and outputs examining Nigeria’s 2023 elections and political developments, will take place on January 16, 2023.

    Director of Africa Programme at Chatham House Alex Vines, disclosed during the hosting of Tinubu by the Royal Institute of International Affairs, that the presidential candidates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso and Labour Party’s Peter Obi, will also be invited to share their vision for renewing hope in Nigeria.

    “Chatham House will host an event with INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu. We have invitations out to three other presidential candidates for this election in Nigeria,” Vines said.

    While the dates for engagement with the other leading presidential aspirants are yet to officially be made public, TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that this will be Atiku’s second outing, having made the first appearance in April 2018 ahead of the 2019 presidential election which he also contested.

    Also, as a presidential hopeful, President Muhammadu Buhari was at Chatham House in February 2015 where he noted that peaceful alternation of power through competitive elections have happened in Ghana, Senegal, Malawi and Mauritius; adding that the prospects of democratic consolidation in Africa will be further brightened when the APC as an opposition took over power.

    “While you can’t have representative democracy without elections, it is equally important to look at the quality of the elections and to remember that mere elections do not democracy make.

    “It is globally agreed that democracy is not an event, but a journey. And that the destination of that journey is democratic consolidation – that state where democracy has become so rooted and so routine and widely accepted by all actors,” he said.

    Some Nigerians are now questioning the rationale behind politicians going to Chatham House at each election season and whether it should be encouraged.

    A curious Nigerian on Twitter BIshop ikmohit, wrote: “But why is Chatham house inviting Nigeria’s presidential candidates…will the candidates running for the office of PM honour the invitation of LCCI? just thinking”.

    Similarly, Gerald Nduaguba shared the same sentiments when he said: “I have no problem with our leaders having interviews and debates, in fact it’s needed, or even going to foreign countries to talk to Nigerians and to share their ideas. But why do our leaders need to go to a British organisation to answer questions about leading our Nigeria?

    Another tweet by @Man_Nedu said it was a dangerous trend for African leaders to always see the need to speak on Platforms hosted by European countries and advised the Labour Party candidate to boycott the meeting.

    “I would prefer that PO doesn’t speak at this event. Why in the world should African politicians speak on platforms hosted by European countries? I honestly don’t get it,” he said.

    However, some other Nigerians were of the opinion that such platforms would amplify the voices of African leaders in the diplomatic landscape, as it offers more visibility than the local organisations or institutions.

    Jane Oiza said it is very exciting news that Obi has also been invited by Chatham House. “The world will see the difference, between the competence, preparedness, intelligence, the desire to serve and salvage what is left of our dear Country, and those who feel it is their entitlement to rule.”

    In the same vein, Okoji Amarachukwu said: “Thank God we have another opportunity to redeem our image that was badly battered few days ago,” referring to Tinubu’s outing which has remained a subject of criticism.

    The APC candidate has been slammed for delegating questions to his campaign members who were with him during his Chatham House address.

  • 2023: Tinubu, Atiku absent as Obi, Kwankwaso, Abiola gave insights into their blueprints

    2023: Tinubu, Atiku absent as Obi, Kwankwaso, Abiola gave insights into their blueprints

     

    …Okowa represented Atiku

    …Tinubu opted to visit farmers in Minna

    Presidential candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, were absent as their counterparts of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Kola Abiola, gave vivid accounts of their blueprints if voted into office in 2023.

    Atiku, who was in far away Morocco, was represented by his running mate and Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa. Neither Tinubu nor his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima showed up at the debate, organised by the ARISE Television in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), on Sunday, November 6.

    Tinubu’s campaign team in a statement issued late on Sunday and signed by its spokesperson, Festus Keyamo, SAN gave reasons including the fact that their presidential candidate wants to deal directly with the people and opted to see farmers in Niger state. Promised to attend to debate as there are a plethora of such requests begging for attention from different media organisations.

    In a brief summary of their mission statement, the candidates hinted on the ways they intend to tackle the twin problems of insecurity and economic uncertainties currently weighing down the country.

    Obi was the first to speak , he stated that his commitment was to run a government that would restore the country to its past. He pledged to harness and unleash the latent energies of Nigerians into productive purposes, stressing that insecurity is a by-product of poverty and unemployment. According to the LP candidate, the moment the youths are productively engaged, the current rising spate of insecurity will be curtailed.

    Obi blamed failure of intelligence processing for the March Kaduna-Abuja train abduction., arguing that if the earlier warning on the impending attack was acted upon, the terrorists would not have had their way.

    Okowa who represented his principal, disclosed that his party intends to run an inclusive country with governance cutting across all the tiers of the government. Though he refrained from blaming the President on the Kaduna train attack, given that he did not know the intelligence at his disposal, the governor, stressed the need for coordinated intelligence, recruitment of more security personnel and motivation of those in service.

    Kwankwaso agreed with Okowa on the need for more security personnel as well as getting them more equipped.

    Abiola located the driver of banditry to failure of governance, pledging to run a government of equal opportunities for all.

  • 2023: Kwankwaso urges electorate to study his blueprint

    2023: Kwankwaso urges electorate to study his blueprint

    The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Presidential Candidate, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, has advised all eligible voters in the country to create time and read his blueprint which seeks to ensure good governance.

    Kwankwaso gave the advice on Friday in Abuja shortly after the two-raka’at Jumma’at prayers at the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society’s Mosque.

    The former two-term governor of Kano State said that most of what he intended to do if elected president of Nigeria in 2023 were captured in the blueprint.

    Newsmen reports that Kwankwaso, in his 160-page manifesto and policy document entitled “My Pledges To You: The RMK2023 Blueprint”, highlighted 20 promises that he would bring to fruition if elected.

    He pledged to provide Nigerians with patriotic and competent leadership that would be guided by the seven time-tested principles of public life such as Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, and Leadership by example.

    “We will be fair and just to all and we shall ensure fairness and justice at all levels of governance,” Kwankwaso said.

    Oh his part, the Chief Imam of the Al-Habibiyyah Mosque, Dr Fuad Adeyemi, called on all Muslims “to do things right so that the country would be right“.

    According to him, if all Muslims decide to do what is right and help one another, it will bring stability to the country.

    “We should learn to help each other, we should learn to support each other.

    “Now that politics is around we should be consciousness of the Almighty Allah in whatever we do, who we choose and how we choose them.

    “The fear of Allah should be our guide not what we stand to benefits,“ Adeyemi said.

  • ‘It’s too late for mergers’ – Kwankwaso dismiss talks on stepping down

    ‘It’s too late for mergers’ – Kwankwaso dismiss talks on stepping down

    The presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) Rabiu Kwankwaso has dismissed talks that he’ll be stepping down for another party’s candidate.

    The spokesman to Kwankwaso, Ladipo Johnson revealed on Channels Television Sunrise Daily on Wednesday amid speculations that the NNPP standard bearer will collapse his campaign for another presidential candidate before 2023.

    “It’s too late for mergers and there is no talk of collapsing the campaign, Kwankwaso’s campaign, or the NNPP campaign at any level at the moment with any of the party or any of the candidates, that is not on the card yet.

    “What I meant when I say not yet is that we are going all the way to February 25 next year,” he said.

  • ANALYSIS: 2023: Who will NNPP’s Kwankwaso forge an alliance with?

    ANALYSIS: 2023: Who will NNPP’s Kwankwaso forge an alliance with?

    The New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) prides itself as “the beautiful bride in the North” and hopes to expand its reach to all parts of the country and the diaspora, as part of strategies toward the 2023 general elections. In recent months many political bigwigs from the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have joined the NNPP to form what many regard as a third force.

    A major selling point for the party is the emergence of a former governor of Kano state Rabiu Kwankwaso, as its presidential candidate. Kwankwaso, a former House of Representatives member, senator, and minister enjoys immense popularity and support in Nigeria’s north, particularly Kano state where he is rated as one of the best governors the state has produced, owing to the infrastructural development and scholarship programme for students which he implemented during his tenure.

    Prominent politicians who have registered with the NNPP include another former governor of Kano state Ibrahim Shekerau, a former minister of youth and sports, Solomon Dalung, President Muhammadu Buhari’s estranged right-hand man Buba Galadima, Chief of Staff to the current Governor of Kano state Abdullahi Ganduje, Ali Makoda, deputy speaker of the State House of Assembly Zubairu Hamza, the House of Representatives member representing Tofa/Dawakin Tofa/Rimin Gado, Tijjani Jobe, and the member representing Dambatta/Makoda Federal Constituency, Badamasi Ayuba among others.

    National Chairman of the NNPP Rufai Ahmed Alkali, said his party was repositioning itself to provide an alternative platform that will rescue the nation from the stranglehold of the two main political parties APC and PDP, and deliver the gains of good governance including tackling insecurity, restoring the value of the Naira, creating job opportunities, promoting gender equality in government appointments, reviving moribund industries, etc.

    “Let me once more assure Nigerians that unlike what is happening now, the NNPP administration would give every Nigerian a sense of belonging as nobody would be treated as a second-class citizen or discriminated or marginalized on the basis of tribe, religion or sex,” Alkali said.

    NNPP’s quest to build a formidable team

    Despite welcoming a vast array of members into the party within the last three months, the NNPP has remained committed to forming new alliances, especially outside of the north to secure victory at the polls in 2023. The party has been in the spotlight for months over its attempts to negotiate a strategic merger that can oust the ruling party.

    The NNPP first considered an alliance with the Labour Party (LP) in June where Kwankwaso and the Presidential candidate for LP Peter Obi were to fly a joint ticket, with one of them stepping down their ambition to serve as vice for the other. Both men had been members of the PDP but defected to pursue the same ambition – to run for president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. While Kwankwaso joined the NNPP in March, Obi waited two months before pitching his tent with the LP in May.

    Kwankwaso has his foothold in the north, but Obi’s traction is among youths in the south and a merger of this sort some analysts said, would unsettle even the ruling APC. But after weeks of discussions through a committee that was set up, the anticipated marriage between both parties failed to happen against permutations and public expectations.

    “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. Obi, on the other hand, said he would not be constrained by ethnic sentiments to settle for vice president and believes that the elections should be based purely on the merit of his campaign promises and proven track record as a former governor of Anambra state.

    Speculations also emerged that the NNPP was now considering an alliance with the PDP, but the spokesperson of Kwankwaso’s Presidential Campaign Organisation Ladipo Johnson, dispelled the rumours, insisting that the party’s presidential flag bearer would not step down his ambition for the opposition’s candidate Atiku Abubakar.

    Kwankwaso, who is making his second attempt to become Nigeria’s president, had tried unsuccessfully to clinch the PDP’s ticket in 2018 but lost to Abubakar who is yet again the party’s flag bearer. The presidential campaign spokesperson stressed that Kwankwaso is in the race to win and would contest the 2023 presidential election to the end as he joined the race of his convictions that he would make the desired change in Nigeria.

    “I do not know how and why people come up with these assertions and speculations. Kwankwaso cannot and will not step down for anyone. Kwankwaso is not in the race to negotiate. He has the capacity, track record for competence and political will to lead Nigeria to greater heights. Our candidate has no reason to step down. His path to victory and chances are very high. Competitive yes but his chances are very high considering his acceptance nationwide as a man of integrity,” he reiterated.

    There were also reports that Kwankwaso had stated during an interview with Arise TV that he will be willing to throw his weight behind the presidential candidate of the APC Bola Tinubu if he sensed he was unable to win the election. But his aide Muyi Fatosa said nothing could be farther from the truth.

    “For the records and avoidance of doubt, in the interview with Dr. Reuben Abati of Arise TV where Dr. Reuben Abati asked Sen. Kwankwanso of his opinion about Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso stated clearly in his response that “Bola Tinubu is my friend of many years, if I had not contested, I would have recommended him. I do not play politics of bitterness. We are both in the presidential race but I am a better candidate.”

    “It is unfortunate to see many people taking the above statement to mean an endorsement of Tinubu and promoting such misconstrued message on the media. The Campaign Organisation strongly described as untrue the report that HE, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has in any way endorsed Bola Tinubu,” Fatosa said in a statement.

    The NNPP said it will continue with its nationwide consultations which have so far been receiving positive feedback and while analysts say the party will have no chance without securing a strong alliance with the west, it is not clear which direction the party will swing, with just about two weeks before the official flag off of campaigns.