The Northern Unity and Development Movement (NUDM) says the refusal Rabiu Kwankwaso, presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to step down for Atiku Abubakar, his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is anti-North.
The group accused Kwankwaso of working underground to actualize the presidential bid of the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We are embarrassed by the conduct of our brother, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso who has consistently brushed aside wise counsel from leaders in the North who have continued to persuade him to step down for his elder brother, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,” the group said in a statement by its national coordinator, Comrade Ishiaku Abubakar Usman in Kaduna on Thursday.
“Members of our group are also amused by the utterances of Kwankwaso against the former Vice President. These are not in good taste and we are calling on him to retrace his steps in the interest of the whole North at this critical time.”
The statement also accused Kwankwaso of surreptitiously working for the APC presidential candidate whom he plans to step down for in the long run against his fellow Northerner.
“We know what is afoot, we have our intelligence which suggests that Kwankwaso is working for Tinubu and that he would eventually step down for him in the build up to the election.” He said.
According to the group, the former Kano State governor has been securing sponsorship for his campaign from Rivers State governor, Chief Nyesom Wike who himself is said to dump his candidate, Atiku Abubakar for Tinubu.
“It’s a well known facts that Gov. Wike is the very person funding Sen. Kwankwaso to undermine the northern region and it’s people”
“In several instances, Gov. Wike boosted on National television that he will be giving financial assistance and logistics to Sen. Kwankwaso.
“This didn’t just start now, this unholy alliance started during the PDP presidential primary where Sen. Kwankwaso directed all kano delegates to vote Gov. Wike which they did” he revealed.
He said nobody in the region take Sen. Kwankwaso aspiration serious anymore because of his past political antecedent.
“As you can see thousands keep defecting from his party (NNPP) in droves, the party has collapsed, many more will dump him before elections”, Usman said.