The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has taken a swipe at the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his comment that he was in talks of a planned step down with the NNPP Presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso.

Addressing Journalists yesterday in Abuja, the NNPP National Chairman, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali urged Atiku Abubakar to respect his age, however, said that the party was not in talks with him over a possible alliance.

Alkali who called on Atiku to step down for Kwankwaso since he is young with a fresh idea, said that their members are worried over Atiku’s statement insisting that they are not in alliance talk with the PDP.

The NNPP National Chairman said, “Our members have been worried because we have huge crowds in the South and in the North. Our presidential candidate is campaigning. Our gubernatorial candidates, Senatorial candidates, House of Representatives candidates and the State House of Assembly candidates have been campaigning.

“Since we came up with this mantra for a new Nigeria, we’ve not been engaged in unnecessary controversy. As a responsible party, we have been taken for granted. We are not in talk with Atiku.

"He should know that there are other people who have the right to be president and Kwankwaso has done a lot for Nigerians and Nigeria. Kwankwaso is a forerunner in the contest.

“The idea of the northern agenda is not true. The election of 2023 is different. Some leaders whose agenda is to work for some candidate, want a northern candidate. We kept quiet when Atiku said he was the Northern candidate. They talk about a government of national unity. Nobody is talking about that when it is convenient but we have no talk with Atiku and we are not planning an alliance with Atiku. He should respect his age and he can’t force anyone to endorse him," the party insisted.

According to Alkali, “We are following the INEC guidelines and the electoral act. We produce agents in all the polling units. Most of these parties making noise today don’t have agents. The PDP of yesterday is not the PDP of today. Is not the party of Abubakar Rimi, Sunday Awoniyi, Sule Lamido, Solomon Lar and the rest.

“Five governors are not with Atiku. These governors are coming from powerful states. The two others have been sending messages that they will not support Atiku.

“We thought that anyone contesting an election should put his house together. We left the PDP because we knew it would implode. It is not the same party as yesterday. In the next one week, some will leave the PDP.

“What Kwankwanso is doing is unprecedented and that is why they are afraid. This election is for the people. Today, no presidential candidate has done what Kwankwaso has done in this election.

“We want to say that nobody has anything to offer other than Kwankwaso. Kwankwaso has done everything and nothing happen in Nigeria that Kwankwanso will not travel to address such a crisis. It’s Kwankwaso that has been fighting for the North. Kwankwaso can move to any state today because he has no enemy,”Alkali said while calling on Atiku to step down for Kwankwaso.

“By May 29, 2023 when Kwankwaso is sworn in, he will scratch JAMB and protect national assets but Atiku wants to sell them. NNPP disassociates itself from Atiku and the purported alliance," he alleged.

He said that it will be a big tragedy for APC or PDP to continue governing Nigeria.

On the currency crisis, Alkali who noted that the timing was wrong, however, called on the CBN not to force the people to revolt, adding,

“Kwankwaso said to anyone that did not change his money, when sworn in as president, he will ensure everyone who changes his money. If Kwankwaso becomes president, everyone will take his money to the bank. The CBN act gave six months so, why is the CBN pushing for it now?" NNPP stated. (Vanguard)

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