2023: Why I won’t step down for anybody – Kwankwaso

By Tunde Opalana

Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Sunday, explained why he will not step down for another candidate, saying that his party, the NNPP, is on the right track to clinch the presidency of the country.

Speaking when he appeared on the Editors Forum, an initiative of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), in Lagos, the former Kano State governor said apart from the NNPP being the only party that is growing now, it is too late for alliances and mergers to be formed because the window for that has been closed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

He said: “The reports of my stepping down are coming from detractors who go about concocting stories to suit their mind. Anybody who thinks of stepping down at this stage is not fair to himself because the time for merger, alliances, etc, has gone. NNPP is all out to win the 2023 elections. The other parties are going down in terms of support and popularity and there is nothing any of them can do to stop this misfortune”.

Claiming that he is the best man for the Aso Villa job, Kwankwaso, urged older candidates to look at themselves in the mirror, tell themselves the truth, quit the presidential race and save the country avoidable agony as was witnessed when late President Yar’Adua died in 2010.

He said over the years he and his friends have done a lot and built goodwill across the country, which the NNPP is reaping now because within a few months of his joining the party millions of people have registered as members and within a short time produced credible candidates across the country.

“Apart from the APC and PDP, we have the largest number of candidates across the country.

“NNPP is the only party growing now and the growth will continue as the 2023 polls approach. The other parties have nothing to say again. I was a founding member of the PDP, which was formed to kick the military out of power. There was no ideology behind the formation of PDP other than kicking the military out”, he said.

The former two-time governor of Kano State also warned Nigerians to avert a repeat of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua scenario in 2023 by scrutinising the candidates and ensuring that the best is elected, DailyTimesNGR gathered.

“Now, people are not talking about parties. They are talking about candidates and individuals. The APC and PDP have failed Nigerians. That is why we are in this mess today. I am ready for debates. Let us put our cards on the table. Some of the candidates are running away from debates. Some of them should look at themselves in the mirror and tell themselves the truth. Some of them are our seniors. You cannot cheat nature. Anybody who says 2023 is his turn is making a huge mistake.

“In 2007, Yar’Adua was nominated as PDP candidate without consultation. There was no serious consultation. We knew things but there was no consultation and so we ran into trouble (with Yar’Adua’s ill health, attendant controversies, and using doctrine of necessity to swear in Dr Goodluck Jonathan as acting president, and his death). Today, that episode is recurring. Some people thought by becoming vice president they would soon be president.”

Kwankwaso, who regretted that the NNPP/LP alliance did not work out, said if it worked there would not have been current contemplation that there might be a run-off presidential poll in 2023 because he and Obi would have won by a landslide.

His words: “I thought the alliance would be good. If we had done that nobody will be talking about a second ballot in 2023. At our discussions the issue was who will be the presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate. Both parties raised negotiation committees. Our team was led by Buba Galadima. The committees looked at age, educational qualification, office held and experience. At the end the other committee did not want to go with this, they talked about power shifting to the South and to the South-East. Nigeria has gone beyond that, nobody can be president of Nigeria now based on ethnic and regional considerations.

Speaking further, Kwankwaso said only good leaders can sincerely restructure Nigeria toward national unity and development.

He stressed that restructuring was only possible if there were good leaders committed to uniting Nigerians and upgrading security, economy, education, among others.

“If elected President, I will listen to Nigerians on the subject. I will be open to discussions and negotiations and also consider adjustments capable of moving the country forward.

“We are not going to be rigid on restructuring, especially in the areas of insecurity, economy and education. These three are crucial for development to take place,” he said.

Kwankwaso expressed worry and concern over insecurity, and regretted that the north had been worst hit.

“So many people have lost their lives and means of livelihood; some are in the hospitals while some are internally displaced and cannot work.

“We believe that there must be security for us to experience progress and development.

“After studying the level of insecurity in the country, I believe that there is the need to recruit more military personnel.

“Considering the ratio of civilians to military personnel, there is need to increase the number of personnel in the armed forces. We need a minimum of one million.”

Reeling out some of his achievements as a two-term governor, Kwankwaso said he paid special attention to human capital development and educational advancement.

“We built universities and also established 26 academic and manpower development training institutes.

“Through these institutes, over 360,000 youth and women were trained and empowered.

“We also gave free lunch to students, gave scholarships to 370 outstanding students, and 148 full time scholarships to Nigerian students all over the country,” he said.

Kwankwaso assured Nigerians that such strides would continue if he became head of state in 2023.

Also speaking, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, NNPP’s Founder and Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), expressed confidence that Kwankwaso would be the next president of Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to join the party in order to build a new country of their dream.

READ ALSO: Hon Madiba sets new standard for comedy industry

Earlier in an opening remark, NGE President Mustapha Isah had said that the forum was interested in knowing the candidate’s plans for the country so that the people could make informed choices.

Isah said that the forum would host all presidential candidates while urging all of them to address key issues that concern the people and avoid attacks on individuals.

He also cautioned against false claims aimed at misleading the electorate.

“The Nigerian Guild of Editors pleads with politicians to avoid attacks on individuals

“They should, rather, focus on the real issues that concern the ordinary people.

“I also urge the presidential candidates to call their spokespersons to order as some of their press statements and interviews are heating up the polity.

“On our part, we pledge to be neutral. Nigeria must get it right next year and we want issues-based campaigns,” he said.

On Kwankwaso’s entourage were the BOT Secretary, Galadima, Ladipo Johnson, Dr Kelechukwu Nnamani, Kazeem Mustapha, Prince Ademola Ayoud, Mr Muyiwa Jatterson, among others.