The Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwakwaso has made it clear that he has neither met nor discussed with his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) opponent, Atiku Abubakar, or his representatives ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Kwankwaso said that it is clear that Atiku is now “gasping for air as his platform crumbles and is seeking a solid branch to hold on!”
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, February 1, by the spokesperson of Kwankwaso/NNPP Presidential Campaign Council, Ladipo Johnson.
Johnson quoted his master as saying that he is finishing the race stronger than other presidential candidates, especially Atiku of the PDP.
He said that his response was important due to the statement by Atiku that he is “in touch with Kwankwaso,” adding that the response is 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.
He described it as orchestrated moves by Atiku’s campaign to pass a false and mischievous narrative to Nigerians that he is 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.”
He 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.”
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Prof. Rufai Alkali, in a telephone interview with Vanguard, on Wednesday, denied the existence of any such talks.
He said, “There is no such talk to our knowledge. We just returned from our campaign in Ibadan, our party and our candidate are in this election to win.
“Our candidate, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is the candidate to beat, he is not stepping down for anybody or any party,” he added.
