National Leader of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as dead, saying the party has lost focus and teeth.
However, PDP, while reacting, said not only was Kwankwaso inconsequential in the scheme of things, but NNPP that he led was also an unconstitutional political party, which posed no threat.
The former Kano State governor spoke at the weekend during the inauguration of a renovated party office in Katsina State.
He insisted that PDP had lost its way and was no longer a relevant force in Nigerian politics.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is already dead because they have deviated from their original principles,” he said.
Kwankwaso said that’s why he and others left the party.
“I wish to remind you that PDP is dead because we left the party. Since they have gone out of the line, we decided to check out,” said the NNPP leader.
He claimed his party was ready to take over the presidency in 2027 and win more states.
Kwankwaso, who boasted of becoming the next president by the next election cycle, said Nigerians should not be deceived by gifts or money during the next general election.
Katsina State NNPP chairman, Armaya’u Abdulkadir, said the party in the state was doing everything possible to enlighten the electorate on its new logo.
Abdulkadir said the new logo symbolised education for all, which was the main focus of the Kwankwasiyya leader.
“There’s the need for the party to embark on grassroots sensitisation to inform the members on the importance of the new logo,” he said.
But National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Debo Ologunagba, said, “Our reaction to the statement credited to Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso is that he is very inconsequential in the Nigerian national politics today, judging from the fact that he is struggling to lead a party called NNPP, which is also struggling to control only one state.
“It is unfathomable to imagine that a failed and inconsequential politician with only one state would claim that a party that has 13 governors, many senators, many members of the House of Representatives, several state assemblies and strong presence in all the local government areas and wards across the country is dead
“More disturbing is that Senator Kwankwaso has exhibited extreme selfishness and self-centredness, which shows that he is not a leader.
“It is unfortunate that at this time when the PDP and patriotic Nigerians are speaking out against the excruciating hardship in the country occasioned by the anti-people policies of the APC administration, at this time, including in Senator Kwankwaso’s home state.
“Kano people are dying of hunger and starvation; when over 150 million Nigerians have sunk deeper into poverty, when millions of Nigerians are daily losing their means of livelihood; at the time the naira has fallen to over N1,600 to a dollar with over 34 per cent inflation rate; in the wake of APC’s brutal increase in the price of petrol to over N1,200 in various parts of the country.
“The only thing that occupies Senator Kwankwaso’s mind is his self-centred pipe dream of becoming president. It is very unfortunate. So the PDP does not intend to join issues with him on such display of self-centredness and insensitivity.
“In any event, whatever political relevance Senator Kwankwaso believes he has achieved, he did so only when he was in the PDP.”
Chuks Okocha
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