Tobias Sylvester
Former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso has expressed his desire to make Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, his running mate in the 2023 presidential election.
Rabiu Kwankwaso and Peter Obi
KanyiDaily recalls that Peter Obi, who is seeking to contest the 2023 presidency, had recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the party’s primary election.
Following the development, there were speculations that the former governor would form an alliance with Kwankwaso in the NNPP to contest the presidency.
However, Obi joined the Labour Party (LP) where he was elected the presidential candidate of the party after three other aspirants stepped down for him.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Kwankwaso who is the only presidential aspirant in NNPP, said Obi could have become his running mate if the latter had joined his party, instead of the Labour Party.
When asked if Obi was approached about joining NNPP, Kwankwaso said he discussed national issues with the former Anambra governor a few days before he joined LP.
He said, “Well, actually, we had the opportunity to talk to ourselves on many national issues until a few days to the time when he declared for the Labour Party of which now he is the presidential candidate.
“I wish him well and I wish all other presidential candidates well. I’m sure this (presidential election) will be decided by the people across the country who are going to vote on 25th February 2023.”
On whether he would have considered Peter Obi as his running mate, the former Kano governor said many people suggested the idea.
“Many people just suggested that. I believe that it could have been possible if not because he joined another party. Now, he is already a candidate as we have seen from the news now. We look forward to seeing what happens in the next few weeks,” he added.
When asked about picking a running mate from the South-East, the ex-governor said, “We are not there yet. After the convention (of the NNPP), then the party would sit down and look around and see if we can have a very good, credible somebody who is acceptable, somebody who can bring as many people as possible to come and vote for our party as the Vice-President of the NNPC from the Southern part of the country.”
Kwankwaso said “lazy politicians” were the ones clamoring for zoning, stressing that Nigeria needed a capable president. He noted that he was not desperate to become president.
He said, “What Nigerians across the country are saying is that in 2023, they want to see a capable president; somebody who has integrity, who can do the job and the parties are saying who can win the election for them; plus somebody who can do the job; we have passed the level of all these sentiments which some politicians in my opinion put forward – many of who are lazy politicians. I’m not contesting because I’m from northwest or from Kano State; I’m contesting because I’m from Nigeria.”
KanyiDaily recalls that Peter Obi’s Director-General, Doyin Okupe had previously debunked speculations that his principal will join the NNPP led by Rabiu Kwankwaso.
