Kwankwaso Confirms Possibility of Coalition with Obi’s Labour Party

Chuks Okocha in Abuja 

The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, yesterday confirmed ongoing talks for a possible coalition between his party and Mr Peter Obi’s Labour Party (LP).

This is coming as NNPP has announced the choice of Mr Ladipo Johnson as the running mate to its presidential candidate, Kwankwaso.

Kwankwaso and Obi, both former governors of Kano and Anambra states, respectively, are the presidential candidates of their respective parties for the 2023 general election.

The former Kano State governor, who spoke in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, said discussions with Obi and the Labour Party on a possible merger ahead of 2023 are still ongoing.

According to him, “we are talking to Peter Obi, or at least saying that the committee is working to look into the matter (and cooperate with him), and friends and family are coming to talk to us about it”.

Kwankwaso argued that their collaboration was especially important as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had not fielded a Southeast vice-presidential candidate.

There are reports that the former Kano State governor will team up with his former Anambra State counterpart, as the vice-presidential candidate to challenge the two major political parties in the country.

The development was also confirmed by the NNPP via their official Twitter account.

It hinted that a special committee had been set up for the talks.

The party said it hoped that the results from the ongoing talks with Obi and the LP would “give Nigeria a chance to be alive, once again.”

 “We wish to inform Nigerians that, our discussions with @PeterObi and the Labour Party are still ongoing. A special committee was set to discuss arrangements.

“We hope for good results that will give Nigeria a chance to be alive, once again,” the party tweeted.

LP has announced a placeholder for the position of its vice-presidential candidate in the person of  Dr Doyin Okupe, it is not yet clear whose name the NNPP submitted to the electoral umpire.

Meanwhile, NNPP has announced the choice of Johnson as the running mate to Kwankwaso.

Johnson hails from Lagos State, South-west Nigeria and contested for the office of governor.

NNPP announced through its official Twitter handle, @nnpphqabuja1, which has also been confirmed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Major Agbor.

The party wrote: “Road to 2023: Bar Ladipo Johnson is the Vice Presidential candidate of our great party.”

As the president of the African Institute of Enterprise Development and Management, Johnson has called on Nigerians to wake up from their slumber and take positive steps that could rescue the nation from further slide amidst the prevailing yoke of poverty.

Johnson, who is also the convener of ‘The Johnson Initiative for Positive Impact,’ had earlier faulted the federal government’s economic policies, stating that they enslave Nigerians.

Johnson, in an earlier interview, regretted that the people have had to accept such tough policies, thereby adding to their recurring sufferings.