The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has said it will be a huge relief for members if its 2023 presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, joins the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Oginni Olaposi, the NNPP National Secretary, made this declaration on Sunday in Lagos.
Olaposi was reacting to the resignation of APC national chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and the suspicion that he left the ruling party over the former Kano state governor’s purported move to join them.
Ganduje resigned as chairman of the APC on Friday, citing health difficulties.
Olaposi added that, while the resignation is an APC internal matter, the party decided to react due to disagreements between the party and the former Kano state governor.
“Kwankwaso still insists he is a member of our party even after his expulsion for alleged anti-party activities.
“Kwankwaso did not only try to hijack the NNPP but also made the party go through avoidable litigations.
“The NNPP Logo that he changed to the Kwankwasiya Movement Logo has just been changed to our Logo by INEC, after years of controversy and litigation.
”We have reasons to doubt the ongoing propaganda that Ganduje ’left the APC to enable an alleged negotiated arrangement with Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“It is on record that Ganduje once said that APC is always ready to pardon and accommodate defectors, even those who left its fold.”
Olaposi mentioned that NNPP would be elated if any proposed deal between APC and Kwankwaso became a reality, as the ruling party is in a better position to handle the former Kano state governor’s baggage.
“We find it difficult to believe that Kwankwaso, who is still struggling to hijack the NNPP, is also negotiating to join the ruling party.
“Kwankwaso betrayed our trust in him by trying to hijack the party from its founder, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, who facilitated his free ticket for the 2023 presidential election.”
