The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has asked Nigerians to “rescue” the country by voting for Rabiu Kwankwaso, its presidential candidate.
The NNPP national chairperson Rufa'i Alkali made the announcement on Monday on behalf of the party.
Alkali suggested that Nigerians should support Kwankwaso over a candidate who says "it is my turn" to be president.
“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 says.
“Nonetheless, our nation is undergoing a transition period leading to the general elections within the next few months. Nigerians are hoping that the country’s situation will begin to turn around for the better. 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 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 leader of the NNPP has praised INEC for its work to modernise the voting process and has advised the body to avoid any blunders that could damage confidence in the 2023 elections.
“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 our Presidential Candidate, Sen Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, PhD, 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, Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), appears to be the target of the NNPP chairman’s statement on rejecting “it is my turn” politics, which was made just before the APC’s presidential primary.
Tinubu had remarked, “emi lo kan,” which translates to “it is my turn,” when speaking to his supporters in Ogun state in June 2022.