The National Chairman of NNPP, Prof Rufai Alkali, has dismissed the report that the presidential candidate of the party is stepping down for Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Alkali, who described the report as false, noted that this was one of the malicious lies coming from the opposition.
He said, “It is completely false. We are not surprised at all that this story is coming out this way at this time. All discerning Nigerians have been following the pattern.
“They first said our candidate was going to step down for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. When we debunked it, they said the NNPP had surrendered to the Labour Party and Peter Obi. When we explained the circumstances, they kept quiet.
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“Next, there was an attempt by our elders at the Arewa Consultative Forum dialogue for Presidential candidates to present their manifestos. We agreed with the organizers but we realized that there were forces working to undermine the process by using the platform to endorse a Northern candidate. When Kwankwaso did not appear, that project collapsed.
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“In the past few weeks, our candidate presented his blueprint which came out very solid. He was at the AriseTV -CDD Presidential debate which was very successful. He travelled to the South-East, and spent three days in Enugu and Abakiliki.
“With all these achievements, fear has gripped them. They have now come up with another card that he is under pressure to step down. Step down for who? Under what circumstances? Has it happened in the history of democracy in Nigeria that a Presidential candidate with a strong party backing him, with Nigerians urging him to move on, will surrender his structures to someone else?
“Now that he has become a shining star, they are scared. It is sheer propaganda and psychological warfare and all those behind this should stop.”
Also, the spokesman for the NNPP, Major Agbo, agreed with Prof Akali and described the report as untrue.
Agbo, asked, “How can anybody come out to say Kwankwaso should step down for Atiku? No, it is Atiku that should step down.”
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Agbo also dismissed the report that there was any alliance talks between the ANPP and the Labour Party (LP).
He said, “Go and ask Okupe (Dr Doyin Okupe). He was the one who scuttled the first alliance talk because he came into the negotiation with his ‘unusual’ agenda that Obi should be made the president. How can Obi be president over Kwankwaso?”