Northerners won’t vote for Peter Obi if I accept Vice, Kwankwaso

Northerners won’t vote for Peter Obi if I accept Vice, Kwankwaso

By Judge Obiora, Kano

Millions of Northerners would prefer to vote for one of their own instead of voting for the Labour Party, (LP) Presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi. The leader of New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP) Senator Rabiu Kwankwazo has said.
The former Kano State Governor was speaking on a TV current affairs programme on the proposed merger between NNPP and the Labour Party, (LP)
He said “What I’m telling you is that if anybody from the South-East now, under this circumstance, becomes the presidential candidate of our party or any other party, the implications is that because of the activities and other issues that are really on the ground, northern voters will certainly go for their northern candidate and another party. So, the thinking is not whether I like it or I don’t, the fact remains that everybody will lose. He will lose and I will lose.”
He said If he accepts to be Obi’s Vice Presidential candidate, many Northerners would not vote for Obi the only condition the Northerners would vote for Obi is if Kwankwaso emerges as the Presidential candidate in any merger. He spoke on Sunday on Channels TV’s Politics Today monitored by Irohinoodua.
He said the NNPP was engaging “so many people, individuals, groups and parties,” in order to deepen public acceptance. Kwankwaso is seen by many Hausa talakawas as their liberator, akin to the charm once ignited by the late Mallam Aminu Kano.
On possible discussion with Obi, he said “I believe that it is highly likely that we are going to meet and discuss the issue of coming together as a family.”
On negotiation and possible merger with other parties, Kwankwaso said  “Yes, I believe that it will happen but we believe also that there are some challenges that we are having especially from the side of the Labour Party itself, because there are so many influences – some on their side, negative and even the positive side. We have a situation today where there are some people who are in other parties, who are also influencing the decision of that party (LP). I believe it is not good for the party.
But the National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure, in an interview with The PUNCH, said, “The truth of the matter is that it is in his (Kwankwaso’s) own interest for him to take the Vice Presidency. Peter Obi is the man of the moment, he has the credentials and he is the most popular as we speak and not Kwankwaso.
“When you look at fairness and equity, it doesn’t favour Kwankwaso, the mood of the country as it stands does not favour Kwankwaso. The late President Musa Yar’adua was from the North West, the current President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), is from the North West, Nigerians will not accept another person from the North West.