TheCable

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has asked Nigerians to support Rabiu Kwankwaso, its presidential candidate, to “rescue” the country.

The party said this in a statement issued by Rufa’i Alkali, the NNPP national chairman, on Monday.

Alkali urged Nigerians to reject “it is my turn” politics, and support Kwankwaso to win the presidency.

“Undoubtedly, our economy is in dire straits. Prices of goods and services have continued to escalate unabated. These factors have direct implications for low-income earners and the poor masses of Nigerians,” the statement reads.

“Nonetheless, our nation is undergoing a transition period leading to the general elections within the next few months. Nigerians are hoping that the situation of the country will begin to turn around for the better while we are also working hard and praying as leaders and major stakeholders that things should turn around for the better.

“As we move towards the 2023 General Elections, we do hope that the challenges we face today will serve as lessons for all Nigerians not to repeat the grievous mistakes of 2015.

“Nigerians do not need tribal leaders. We do not need ethnic champions and certainly, we do not need religious bigots; the very people who drove this country to the brink of near collapse. Nigerians deserve and demand the kind of leaders who can lead the whole country as one nation, one people with common destiny within the African Continent. Nigerians say no to ‘This is My Turn’ politics!

The NNPP chairman commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for efforts to improve the electoral process, and urged the commission to avoid mistakes that might threaten the credibility of the 2023 polls.

“We commend the INEC for doing everything possible to modernise and transform the Nigerian election system despite all the challenges and obstacles. We trust INEC will continue to record even more overwhelming successes as it continues to introduce new technologies and modern strategies into the election process,” the party said.

“It must however do everything possible to avoid unnecessary mistakes that might threaten the credibility of the elections.

“We in the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) are pleased to present to you our Presidential Candidate, Sen Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Ph.D., for the 2023 presidential election. This is a leader you can trust, a patriot, a go-getter, an achiever, a leader with compassion, and a leader with impeccable and unquestionable records of service to his fatherland.

“We are determined to rescue our nation and save our democracy.”

Meanwhile, the NNPP chairman’s statement on rejecting “it is my turn” politics appears to be directed at Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the latter’s comment prior to the party’s presidential primary.

In June 2022, Tinubu, while addressing his supporters in Ogun state on why he deserved the APC presidential ticket, had said “emi lo kan”, meaning “it is my turn”.