NNPP Chair Blames LP For Obi-Kwankwaso Failed Alliance

The national chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, (NNPP), Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali has stated that an alliance between the presidential flagbearer of the NNPP, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi failed over the LP’s insistence to have the presidential ticket.

Alkali, who said this while interacting with newsmen in Abuja at the weekend, accused Obi’s camp and Labour party stakeholders of coming to the negotiation table with a feeling of superiority.

While expressing strong reservations about the sincerity of the members of the LP in the technical team that was set up by both parties, Alkali pointed out that LP’s insistence on ‘Presidential ticket or no deal’ was responsible for the collapse of the alliance.

He said for the over 8 hours of negotiation between both teams, the only item on the agenda of Obi’s team was for Kwankwaso to concede the presidency to the LP candidate, a development that did not sit well with the NNPP’s team.

Alkali also blamed Obi’s team for putting the purported alliance all over social media before negotiations even commenced.

“Alliances are formed on the basis of shared ideals, shared vision, shared commitment and therefore, NNPP right from the beginning we have no intention to shut our doors because we believe that Nigeria needs the best, Nigeria needs new leadership that will change the direction of what is happening, everybody is angry. We are desirous of opening discussion with any group or association but they must share our ideals,” he said.

“There was a technical group that was formed, not at the party level but more like an exploratory group to discuss the general issues on how can we work together for the betterment of our country — a group of highly respected members, three on both sides to sit down and look at all the issues.

“Our thinking was that after they must have finished those preliminary talks and there is agreement on principles, ideals and commitment, then the party will move in formally and conclude the other processes.

“I remember that at that time, most of us we haven’t produced our candidates, we haven’t conducted our primaries, we haven’t submitted nominations to INEC. So, any decision at that time will affect our candidates so it isn’t something that is done casually but it appears that the whole idea ended up being about the Presidency.

“When the discussion started, it was only on one item and I want to say with all sense of responsibility that NNPP went with an open mind, we know we have nothing to lose because we know that we have the structures, we have the personnel, we have the membership, we have the leaders who can lead this country very well.”

“But what happened was that from what we have heard from our members who were in the technical team, Labour Party said they wanted our leader, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso to concede Presidency to them. That was the only item on the agenda. No other option; that Rabiu Kwankwaso should step down as a presidential candidate of NNPP and surrender that to Peter Obi! That was the only item on the agenda for the eight hours they met!!.

“One of the LP chieftains even told us that they conceded that Kwankwaso is popular, but it is the turn of the south-east. This is the first time we are opening up on this matter.

“Secondly, immediately the discussion started they put it on social media. Normally, when you open a negotiation like that you allow it to reach a stage of maturity, then you can sit down, jointly and issue a statement, whether you agree or you don’t agree and then take a decision and tell the Nigerian people this is what you agreed to. But no! Even before some of us, the party leaders knew what was happening, it was all over social media that there was a negotiation between NNPP and LP.

An alliance between Labour Party’s Obi and NNPP’s Kwankwaso had been touted to have the ability and clout to wrestle the Presidency from Nigeria’s main political parties; the All Progressives Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

However, weeks after news of a possible coalition started making the rounds, Doyin Okupe, director-general of the Peter Obi presidential campaign council, announced that discussions about a merger of both candidates had ended.