TheCable

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) says Atiku Abubakar, standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), should shelve his presidential bid for Rabiu Kwankwaso.

At a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Rufa’i Alkali, NNPP national chairperson, said the claim that Abubakar is in talks with his party so he could be “the consensus northern candidate” is false.

Alkali said the PDP is in disarray and does not provide cover for anybody.

“We have been inundated with calls from across the country. We have no engagement with Atiku Abubakar on any level,” he said.

“Rabiu Kwankwaso is one person that has justified his position as a forerunner in this election. Atiku should not go so low to impose himself on Nigerians.

“What will someone want to offer in northern Nigeria, if not Kwankwaso — since they are talking about northern Nigeria now? The NNPP fully dissociates itself from the antics of Atiku Abubakar. We want Atiku Abubakar to step down for Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

“It will be a great mistake and tragedy to allow APC to continue with governance in Nigeria. If people are in doubt, let them go and think again.

“It is also a tragedy to allow some of these people who caused most of these problems to come back again. The parties have taken their presidential candidates to court – this is what we have called mutually assured destruction.”