Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the recently concluded presidential and National Assembly elections held on February 25th, has criticized President Muhammadu Buhari for not doing enough to ensure free, fair, and credible polls. Kwankwaso expressed his disappointment in the alleged vote-buying, use of guns to intimidate voters, and irregularities recorded during the elections. He argued that in civilized countries, the elections would have been canceled due to the level of irregularities.
Kwankwaso also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the outcome of the general elections in some states, especially the presidential election, stating that the outcome did not reflect the wishes of Nigerians. He expressed his concerns that the judiciary might become a repeat of the 2019 election, where the number four person became number one, and pleaded with them to remain the last hope of the common man.
Speaking at the NNPP’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday, Kwankwaso emphasized the need for the party to tighten their belts and work harder to reposition the party before the next round of elections in 2027. He commended the NNPP’s performance despite their late entrance into the political scene and believed that many Nigerians were ready to join the NNPP ahead of 2027.
Kwankwaso urged the leadership of the party to use the opportunity provided before the next round of elections in 2027 to go back to their constituencies and work harder. He stressed that the party needed to reposition itself to deliver positive change to Nigerians. Kwankwaso believed that the NNPP was a party for the future, and almost everyone now believed it, adding that the challenge of the time was critical.
In conclusion, Kwankwaso congratulated the party’s performance and urged the leadership to strategize and push the party forward to accommodate more people as members and leaders at various levels of the party. He believed that this would give Nigerians the opportunity to experience the positive change that the NNPP stood for in the country.