-
Says What Will Happen If ADC is Unable to Field Candidates
- Safiu Kehinde
Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has charged Nigerians not to be swayed by emotions but vote wisely at the forthcoming 2027 Presidential election.
Kwankwaso urged them to duly register with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be eligible to vote at the poll.
The ex-Kano governor gave the charge while speaking in an exclusive interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme on Monday evening.
Kwankwaso, in his address, maintained that the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), the party he recently joined alongside former Anambra governor, Peter Obi, is giving Nigerians an alternative and opportunity to correct that he considered as mistake they made in 2023.
“Nigerians should not be swayed by emotions. Democracy is good in the sense that people are giving the opportunity to choose and if they make mistake, they made that mistake for few years.
“Why we felt it is important for us to be where we are is to give authority to Nigerians.
“If there is only one party, of course some people will go and vote and some will decide to stay away.
“And then, one has right to accuse politicians at our level for not giving them an alternative. Now we are giving them alternative.” He said,
Kwankwaso expressed confidence in his past records and popularity as well as that of Obi which, according to him, makes them strong alternative for Nigerians.
“People at least in this part of the country know me. That is anybody anywhere knows that I have that strong support. In the Southern part of the country, it is the same thing with Peter Obi.
“So, we are giving this alternative to Nigerians and therefore I urged them to register with INEC.
“I urge them to vote wisely and also do whatever they can to defend their votes to ensure that every vote in this country counts and give us an opportunity to see what can be done.” He said.
Speaking on possibilities of his partnership with Obi, who he had been tipped to serve as his running mate, affecting his relationship with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Kwankwaso affirmed that there is no love lost between him and Atiku.
He maintained that his decision to leave the African Democratic Congress (ADC) alongside Obi does not affect his relationship with Atiku or another member of the ADC.
Kwankwaso also reiterated that there is no bad blood between Atiku and Obi.
“Many people don’t that the man you have here, Rabiu Kwankwaso, was with Atiku and Shehu Musa Yar’Adua to form PF. Then from there, we joined SDP. They are our seniors in terms of age and position.
“I am happy to say that I have no any grudge against him or any politician for that matter.
“I am doing what I think is necessary and this is democracy.
“I don’t think there is any bad blood between Obi and Atiku. Of course these are people that are vying for a particular ticket. Everybody wants the ticket, but at the end of the day, I don’t think they are fighting.
“Peter did not tell me that he is enemy with Atiku or anybody, but we all agreed that there were issues there.” He said.
Meanwhile, Kwankwaso hinted possibility of working with Atiku and other ADC political leaders if the party fails to field a candidate.
“There are big opportunity where we can work together.
“Let me take an extreme case. Supposing that whatever reason, they were not able to field any candidate, we will to work together. We are much closer to them tha any other person.
“We didn’t leave the party simply because we didn’t like Atiku or anybody there.
“Our prayer is that they have opportunity to field a candidate and have opportunity to resolve the issues because I can tell you that my colleague, Amaechi is there.
“Amaechi, by whatever reason, will want to comtest election. So also Atiku himself.” He added.