Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has declared the incumbent All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to be “dead parties” that had failed the country for years.
According to him, the NNPP is now the two major parties’ biggest fear going into the general election in 2023.
This was expressed by Kwankwaso, a former Governor of Kano State and a former Minister of Defense, during a weekend meeting with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of the 19 Northern States and the FCT at the Catholic Social Centre in Kaduna.
The presidential candidate said that the ruling APC is responsible for the widespread poverty and disease in the country.
“APC has proved to be worse than PDP, they are dead parties, and if anyone thinks they will change for good, such a person is either deceiving himself or being mischievous”.
On the other hand, he urged the voters not to let their emotions influence their choice for president in the upcoming election.
He said that despite being a Muslim, he has previously voted for Christians Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for president.
“If there is any better candidate than me, I will support him in the interest of the country,” he said, adding that Nigerians should blame themselves and no one else if they make the same mistakes in 2023.
The candidate claims to have run for office 18 times, winning 15 times and losing only three times, from which he has drawn valuable lessons in dealing with success and defeat.
“I have paid my dues politically over the years and understand how to manage the Nigerian challenges. I am well prepared to govern Nigeria.
“With my political antecedents and management of our diversities like I demonstrated as governor of Kano State regardless of religion, tribe and ethnicity. I can replicate it in Nigeria if given the opportunity in 2023 as president; today, I am a Muslim with no denomination; I am for all because, as a leader, you must be fair and just”.
Senator Kwankwaso, when asked about his platform, said he would prioritise education and jobs and introduce policies to grow the economy if elected president. He also promised to revamp the security architecture and increase security personnel to handle security concerns.