Kwankwaso slams Atiku, “Any Party That Can’t Control Kano, Rivers, Lagos Is Out”

• Kwankwaso continues to slam Atiku saying he can’t win the 2023 election
• The former governor of Kano also criticized some PDP leaders, branding them as stiff and self-centered.
• Kwankwaso praised Wike for heading the integrity team and urged them to act morally.

Rabiu Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP has slammed Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, saying any party that is unable to win control of the states of Lagos, Kano, and Rivers should forget about the 2023 election.

At the request of Governor Nyesom Wike, Kwankwaso announced this when he officially opened the Mgbutanwo Internal Roads in Rivers State’s Emohua Local Government Area.

The former governor of Kano also criticized some PDP leaders, branding them as stiff and self-centered.

He said, “Many people have made so many mistakes; many people don’t understand. Some leaders are very rigid, rigid in the sense that whether they are failing or winning, they will stick to one idea, they will stick to one candidate not minding the consequences, not minding the feelings of the people involved

“We have seen people in my former party that all they want is to get the presidential ticket. They are ready to do anything to have a ticket.

“Any party that cannot control two of the three states – Kano, Lagos, and Rivers is out. He (Wike) has been saying it and people have not taken note of it. Anyway, by now, with Kwankwaso out of that party, and Wike struggling to be there or not to be there, somehow things are moving, certainly, Lagos is not their own, and one begins to wonder how they will win the election of 2023.”

In the 2019 presidential election, Kano received more than 1.8 million cumulative votes, the most of any state. Lagos received over one million votes overall, and Rivers received approximately 600,000 votes.

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These votes were primarily split between Muhammadu Buhari of the APC and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP. Based on previous elections, additional states with significant voter turnout include Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, Plateau, and Bauchi, among others.

The NNPP candidate claimed that the PDP was barred from Kano because of his departure from the party. He thinks that Atiku cannot win Rivers after the way he has treated Governor Nyesom Wike and the members of his Integrity Group.

At the opening of the internal roads that Wike built in the Emohua Local Government Area within a year, Kwankwaso gave a speech. Kwankwaso remarked, in reference to Atiku, that some people were infatuated with a party ticket and would do anything to get their hands on one.

However, PDP Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba claimed there was no proof the party would lose the states of Lagos, Kano, and Rivers.

According to Kwankwaso, some individuals were scurrying from building to building in search of leaders to solve their problems. Such leaders should respect themselves, he advised.

He said: “Many people have made many mistakes. They don’t understand. They are rigid in the sense that whether they are failing or winning, they will stick to one idea.

“We have seen people in my former party that whatever they want is the ticket. They are ready to do anything to have a ticket.

“I can tell you as Governor Wike has been saying, any party that cannot control two of the three states of Kano, Lagos, and Rivers; he has been saying it and people are not taking note of it.

“By now, with Kwankwaso out of that party, Wike is still struggling to be there or not to be there. Somehow things are moving.

“Certainly, Lagos is not theirs. One begins to wonder where they will get their votes to win the election. We have seen people, struggling and probably regretting going around to talk to many leaders to beg them to intervene, either here or there.

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“Let me say to those leaders, please, at this critical time, respect yourselves. Do the right thing.”

Kwankwaso remembered that in 2014 when he and four other governors established a breakaway group within the PDP, a similar situation occurred. However, the party leaders called their bluff by claiming that they could only muster five votes.

He claimed that by ignoring Wike and his group, people were giving the idea that they lacked electoral influence because they were just five in number.

The former governor of Kano praised Wike for heading the integrity team and urged them to act morally.

He said: “Let me acknowledge and congratulate Governor Wike for leading the integrity group.

“This group, I believe, are good people and I know by the grace of God the group will do the right thing as soon as possible.

“I believe they are people of integrity and posterity will judge them based on the action they take.

“I am happy they are doing the right thing and they are talking and consulting. Many people are talking about Governor Wike as if it is just one person.

“That was what happened in 2013-14. Five of us as governors formed a group and this same party did not understand. Many of the leaders were saying only five votes, only five of them.

“Until the 2015 election happened, many of them did not understand. I believe they are not only G5. We are aware of the G1. Whether they will merge very soon or later, we will keep watching the development.”

Kwankwaso said he had foreseen the current crisis rocking the party before the governor realized it, adding that it was part of the reasons he left the PDP.

He congratulated the people of Mgbuitanwo and showered encomiums on Wike for his numerous quality projects.

He said: “We acknowledge him as Mr. Project. Let me thank you for standing firm and for telling the truth. You are a member of Kwankasia any day, any time. We have a lot of respect for you.