South-East lacks strategy says Kwankwaso
Presidential Candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Engr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said that the South-East region has lost across major political fronts, stressing the only hope to the realisation of its aspiration is with his party.
He described the challenges bedeviling the South-East to politics, adding that it should be tackled politically.
The former governor of Kano State made this disclosure on Saturday in Gombe, after inaugurating the state secretariat of the NNPP.
Kwankwaso explained that the region has not been strategic in its plans, noting that they are at the lowest ebb politically.
According to him, “I like people of the South East so much that the Kwankwaso, Kwankwasiyya you hear, many thought it Okonkwo and sons. They said because an Hausa man can’t say Okonkwo and sons he now turned it to Kwankwaso.
“The South East is good in terms of business very hardworking, industrious but one area they must learn is politics, they are at the bottomline. If you look at the situation they have lost out with APC and PDP, zero no President, no Vice President. The only opportunity the South East has to be President or Vice is with NNPP, coincidentally the party was registered by an Igbo man from Anambra State.
“This is the only golden opportunity that they have, if they lose this opportunity it will be a disaster because you see the young men and women who keep saying they are marginalised whereas no one is marginalising them because it (politics) is based on calculation been in APC, PDP was calculation me becoming Vice President to anybody means NNPP will collapse.
“Some one was telling me that even our friend (Peter Obi) wants to withdraw to accept VP some people in the South East will not accept. All sorts of thinking which is not strategic.”
He added, “The best for the South East is to come and partner, may be after eight years, after our term that is the only time they will say okay he is the best for the country. Eight years is just like eight days, months but if you are not prepared for it, it will come and leave you worst. We are flexible to get the right person, one of them is the labour party man (Peter Obi) you are talking about.”
Lamenting the plight of citizens of Nigerians, Kwankwaso expressed optimism that the NNPP would form the next government to rid the country off economic challenges.
Kwankwaso said, “I want to assure you with NNPP government in place I have no doubt in my mind is just about small time we will sit down with the people either in the North or South we will listen to him. If at the end of the day they bring something we consider legitimate we will look at it and handle as government
“Nigerians know APC, PDP very well and they know themselves that they have failed that is why they have resorted to buying votes in Ekiti State and that is what we are likely going to see in Osun State and any other election in this country. The common people, the masses don’t want to hear anything about PDP and APC. People want change they are not happy with the poverty in this country is on the basis of that the NNPP will win elections in 2023.”
Speaking on collaboration on the basis of the third force Kwankwaso said, “We are working around the clock to come together with other parties especially those with similar ideologies with us. So, we are working with our brothers and sisters so that we can get stronger than what we have today so that we can win elections.
“In the last four months we have brought structures in each ward in states, zones, local government. Perhaps we are the only party including the APC, PDP with 100 percent contestants in this country.”
Commenting on the collaboration between the NNPP and others including the labour party, the party leader revealed that talks had collapsed.
He added, “We had a committee with one of the parties but the sole issue was who will become the president when the parties come together at the end of the day some of our representatives thought that it should be based on criteria in terms age, offices held it a long list of course the other side didn’t want that.
“They believed that presidency has to go there but no one is against presidency going to any part of the country. We are national politicians and not local politicians.”
