No plan to step down for Atiku — Kwankwaso
…Vows to tackle insecurity before resctructuring
…Says call for State Police result from frustration
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has denied plans to step down for Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election.
Kwankwaso disclosed during Nigerian Guild of Editors Forum in Lagos on Sunday, stressing that the idea was that of “wishful thinkers.”
He said that those having such notion at this period were wrong since all the parties had submitted their candidates for the various political offices to INEC.
The presidential candidate described NNPP as a strong party with credible candidates across the country and prospects for continuous growth.
“NNPP is all out to win the 2023 elections. These other parties, in terms of popularity, are coming down. It is only the NNPP that is gaining momentum with time,” he said.
Kwankwaso said that there would be surprises on the Nigerian political landscape between now and January 2023, adding that “Nigerians are no more talking about parties, but candidates.”
He said that Nigerians were already disenchanted with the system because the current problems in the country were due to bad leadership in the last two decades.
Kwankwaso said that while his party was open to suggestions and criticisms, the issue of restructuring the economy could not be immediate.
He said that there were other problems like insecurity and poor infrastructure that needed more immediate attention.
The presidential candidate suggested that the size of Nigerian army be increased from the current 250,000 men to one million, while the police should also be increased from less than 230,000 men to one million to check the growing insecurity in the country.
“The insecurity has affected all productive activities. People calling for state police are doing so out of frustration. There are so many things to be resolved,” he said.
Kwankwaso said he was happy with the unbundling of the NNPC and would support all privatization across the oil and gas industry.
He said there was nothing wrong with the Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, but the operators, stressing that “the current leadership is really not servicing the interests of Nigerians.”
