The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Hakeem Baba Ahmed, has asserted that a possible collaboration with former presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, failed due to conditions for joining the party.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Baba-Ahmed, speaking during a Hausa political programme on DITV Kaduna, said Peter Obi and Kwankwaso initially approached the PRP for possible collaboration, and negotiations progressed to the point of proposing a committee to continue talks.
Baba-Ahmed said one of the major issues was the request by both politicians to secure the PRP’s presidential ticket without facing internal opposition, but stakeholders insisted that the party does not practice such politics.
According to Baba-Ahmed, the party insisted that Peter Obi and Kwankwaso must first formally join the PRP and follow its laid-down procedures before seeking any elective position.
He said, “They came and said they wanted to join the PRP, but when we sat down and discussed with them, there were certain demands they made.
“Before they joined, they told us that they were the presidential candidates, meaning they should be given the ticket. We told them no, this is PRP; we do not practice that kind of politics.
“I told them: first come into the party. After joining, you can then tell me, ‘I am Obi and I want to run for President,’ and ‘I am Kwankwaso and I want to be his running mate.’
“But for you to come even before a decision is made and ask us to guarantee you the ticket without opposition if you are truly strong contenders, then why fear competition?”
Baba-Ahmed said the PRP leadership acknowledged the political influence and support base of the two politicians but maintained that the party could not violate its constitution and internal democratic process.
He further disclosed that the camps of the two politicians also requested a significant number of party positions because of the supporters they intended to bring into the PRP.
He stated, “We believed that if anyone entered a room and saw Obi and Kwankwaso, they would think strong contenders had arrived. But we cannot break our party’s rules.
“They requested that many positions be given to them because they said they had many supporters. We told them this was not a problem come into the party first, then we can sit down and discuss.”
The PRP chairman also said concerns over the party’s status on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal and internal disputes within the party contributed to the collapse of possible collaboration with Peter Obi and Kwankwaso.
Baba-Ahmed added, “They said when they checked the INEC portal, they could not find our party’s name there, which has been addressed. But they also heard some people falsely claiming to be PRP members, which they felt could create confusion if they joined the party. We told them we are doing our best to address that too.
“We wished each other well and parted peacefully there was no quarrel or fight.”