- Photo R-L: Kwankwaso, Obi*
A former Governor of Kano State and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said it would be difficult for any candidate, from the south east region, such as Peter Obi to win votes from the north.
“Most of the things that are happening in the South, especially in the South East; people are not comfortable with that and as long as you have somebody from there in any party, it will be very difficult for the northern voters to vote, and that’s the situation now,” Kwankwaso said on a Channels TV program on Sunday.
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of Labour Party is from the South East where the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) is engaged in violent agitation from the secession of the region from Nigeria.
Speaking on the likelihood of the alliance between the NNPP and Labour Party, he 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.
When he was asked about the possibility of being a running to Obi, Kwankwaso 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.”