I will never step down for any candidate in 2023 — Kwankwaso

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has described as rubbish and misleading the report that he would step down for a choice candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

Kwankwaso, who addressed journalists in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Sunday, branded the report as mischievous.

There were insinuations that the former Kano State governor might consider stepping down for his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the election.

However, Kwankwaso said he would not merge nor step down for any candidates, stressing that both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and PDP had failed Nigerians.

He noted that his party would pull Nigeria back from the brink of collapse.

The ex-governor said: “Some people are terribly mischievous and I don’t see how any of these four political parties at this critical time will accept joining one another. There are some elements making mischievous postings and insults on social media, but we believe in sportsmanship and we are out for a good campaign.

READ ALSO: Kwankwaso explains choice of Idahosa as running mate at unveiling ceremony

“To say NNPP will join or withdraw for APC or PDP is absolutely rubbish; it can’t happen. Some are envisaging that there will not be an outright winner in the first round of the presidential election but from our own camp, we believe that we are going to win during the first round of the presidential election because we have the people.

“Unfortunately, some people are now campaigning on social media, they have employed irresponsible people talking about things that they know are not true. But we have kept on telling their masters. To say that anyone of us is withdrawing for the other, everybody knows that is absolutely impossible.

“Don’t forget that six months ago, there was nothing like NNPP. It was when we joined that it became the force that it is today and from now to another six months, only God knows what this party will become.

“The people of goodwill are now saying, how do we get out of it because nobody wants this country to collapse and that’s why you see people coming into the movement to rescue the country. You see these parties, the PDP and APC, I was a founding member of both but they have derailed completely and that is why some of us had to leave and bring in a new thing.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now