2023: Kwankwaso, Peter Obi merger remains dead – NNPP Spokesperson

Against the backdrop of the news making the round on some platforms that the merger talks between Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), BusinessDay Sunday has reliably gathered that there is no truth in the reports.

Ladipo Jhonson, spokesperson of Rabiu Kwankwaso’s presidential campaign council said discussion over alliance between the candidate of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate ahead of 2023 presidential poll was dead.

Kwankwaso and Obi had engaged in a brief discussion about a possible joint ticket, ahead of the 2023 poll, but the discussion broke down several weeks ago.

Doyin Okupe, director-general of the Peter Obi presidential campaign council, had told the media that the discussion ended after Kwankwaso had proposed to be the presidential candidate, which was rejected by Obi.

Reports had emanated in recent days that the two candidates had decided to re-open discussion over a merger.

But in an interview with BusinessDaySunday on Friday, Ladipo, who is a Lagos-based legal practitioner, appointed last Thursday, noted that the reports were not true.

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Ladipo stated that Kwankwaso was optimistic about his chances in the next year’s poll and was proceeding with his presidential bid.

“I guess there are a lot of rumours everywhere, but the fact is that Kwankwaso is going all the way,” Ladipo said.

Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Thursday, Ladipo said Kwankwo would not betray the trust of his followers and party members, stressing that the NNPP candidate was ready and fit to campaign across the country.

According to him, “Kwankwaso fought and worked for the people. He has not betrayed their trust; he has a track record; he has competence, and ability to deliver and you find that it would be a campaign that would go from state to state, constituency to constituency.

“He is fit and ready to move around the country and bring the message to the people.”