Politics
Wike: Where Will You Get Votes To Win? Kwankwaso Mocks Atiku
The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party(NNPP) Rabiu Kwankwaso has submitted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar might lose the 2023 election.
Speaking on Monday in Rivers State, the former Kano State Governor said Atiku needs the votes from at least two of Lagos, Kano, or Rivers States but the PDP candidate at the moment doesn’t have any of the three.
Throwing further shade at Atiku, Kwankwaso said after doing everything to get the PDP presidential ticket, the former Vice President has created more problems for himself and the party with the internal crisis which has pitched him against some Governors in the party.
Kwankwaso wondered where the PDP and Atiku plan to get enough votes as Kano is already out of reach with him out of the party, Rivers is threatened with Nyesom Wike’s current stand while the PDP also does not have any stronghold in Lagos State.
Naija News reports the NNPP candidate made his views public during the inauguration of the Mgbuitanwo internal roads in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State constructed by Governor Wike.
He called on Atiku to respect himself and do the right thing instead of running to party leaders for intervention in the crisis.
He said: “Many people have made many mistakes. They don’t understand. They are rigid in the sense that whether they are failing or winning, they will stick to one idea. They will stick to one candidate, not minding the consequences, not minding the feeling of the people that are in poverty.
“We have seen people in my former party that whatever they want is ticket. They are ready to do anything to have a ticket. I can tell you as governor Wike has been saying, any party that cannot control two of the three states of Kano, Lagos and Rivers has been saying it and people are not taking note of it.
“By now with Kwankwaso out of that party, Wike is still struggling to be there or not to be there, somehow things are moving. Certainly, Lagos is not their own, one begins to wonder where they will get their votes to win the election of 2023.
“We have seen people, struggling and probably regretting going around to talk to many leaders to beg them to intervene either here or there. Let me say to those leaders, please at this critical time respect yourselves. Do the right thing”.
I Support Wike And His Loyalists
Speaking further, Kwankwaso said Wike and the other Governors in the G5 are on the right track adding that the PDP should not dare them or else the party would regret the action.
The former Governor recalled that something similar occurred in 2014 when he and four other Governors formed a separate group in PDP but the party leaders called their bluffs saying they could only produce five votes.
He said people undermining Wike and his team are doing so at their own risk, adding that the current crisis rocking the party is what he foresaw which made him dump the PDP earlier.
He said: “Let me acknowledge and congratulate Governor Wike for leading the integrity group. This group, I believe are good people and I know by the grace of God the group will do the right thing as soon as possible.
“I believe they are people of integrity and posterity will judge them based on the action they take. I am happy they are doing the right thing and they are talking and consulting. Many people are talking about governor Wike as if it is just one person.
“That was what happened in 2013-14. Five of us as governors formed a group and this same party did not understand. Many of the leaders were saying only five votes, only five of them.
“Until the 2015 election happened, many of them did not understand. I believe they are not only G5. We are aware of the G1, whether they will merge very soon or later, we will keep watching the development.”