Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the NNPP's presidential candidate, won't attend any event that is already compromised before it even starts, according to the party's national chairman, Prof. Ahmed Alkali.
A peace and reconciliation committee has been established by the party, according to Alkali, to address the problem roiling the South West chapter of the party.
Alkali was discussing the reasons why Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a presidential candidate, did not attend the meeting of several presidential candidates with Northern Elders/Leaders.
He claimed that the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) national leadership had resolved to intervene in the conflict roiling its South West chapter and vowed to lift all suspensions throughout the region while urging the warring factions to put aside their differences and find common ground.
Alkali said as the party goes into campaign mode there was the need to correct some misconceptions about the party being peddled in the public space.
According to him: “The attention of NNPP has been drawn to some misunderstanding among the leaders of our party in the South West Zone, leading to suspension of some zonal and state Executives.
“However, the leadership of the party has resolved that all feuding parties should eschew bitterness and embrace peace for the sake of the greater good of the party. That the suspension of the Executive members has been reversed to status quo ante Bellum.
“The National Working Committee has set up a peace and reconciliation Committee to immediately meet with all the aggrieved parties at Lagos to listen to their grievances and amicably resolve the differences.
“The leadership of the NNPP is using this medium to call on all its members particularly in the South West to remain calm as all their grievances will be properly addressed to bring everlasting peace and harmonious relationship among members of the NNPP family.”
He said the party will soon release the timetable for the campaign that will take its Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Sen. Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to all the nooks and corners of the country.
He said “one incontrovertible fact is that His Excellency, Sen. Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is the best and the most qualified among those contesting for the number one position in the country. His performance in all the positions he had held is second to none.
“He is ready to replicate all the past achievements at the Presidency level if elected into office in 2023. Education, Health, Housing, and Human capital development. He had made indelible marks in all these areas and many more. His records speak for him. This is the icon that the NNPP is offering Nigeria.
“We promise to run an issue-based campaign. We are not going to engage in abuse. Our supporters all over the country are under instruction not to engage in negative campaigns or violence. We will adhere strictly to the words and letters of the Peace Accord signed last month. But we call others not to take us for granted and try to undermine our campaign activities.”