BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rufai Alkali, has on behalf of the NNPP National Working Committee welcomed former Kano state governor and serving senator, Ibrahim Shekarau, to the party.
Shekarau recently joined the NNPP from the All Progressives Congress.
The development comes few days after Abdulmumin Jibrin, a former member of House of Representatives and a director-general of the Bola Tinubu campaign group, joined the party.
The duo’s defection and those of others came despite efforts by the Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje to prevent them from dumping the ruling APC.
At least 17 members of Kano State House of Assembly as well as Ganduje’s Chief of Staff had left the People’s Democratic Party and the APC to the NNPP, before the chain of defections.
Reacting to the mass movement to the NNPP, Alkali said “they are pointers to the fact that the NNPP has become the party to beat not just in Kano state but all over the country.
“Senator Ibrahim Shekarau’s movement to our party as well as other movements in various parts of the country has now changed the permutations and political alignment in the country ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“Recall that before the emergence and sudden growth of the NNPP, PDP was hitherto considered as the main opposition party in Kano and other parts of the country and was expected to provide a formidable competition to the APC in 2023 as it did in 2019.
“But with the PDP and APC engrossed with leadership problems, our party has become the precious bride sought after by many politicians across the country.
“Unlike in 2019, the political calculation in 2023 will be a different ball game. This is because we have taken far-reaching steps to re-launch and reposition the party as one of the major political parties in the country.
“Given the massive support we have received and continue to receive from people across the country, we are optimistic that very soon it would move from its current ranking as the ‘third force’ to the top in Nigeria’s political space.
“So far, we have successfully conducted ward congresses in all the local government areas across the country. The local government congress, state congress and national convention were also conducted peacefully.
“We are, therefore, bold to say that our presence is now felt in all the 774 local government areas as Nigerians continue to embrace our party.
“The NNPP is the only party in Nigeria that has offered the youths less than 35 years of age fifty percent discount for the purchase of nomination forms. This has led to an influx of youths to the party and the party is equal to the task as it has put in place all measures to avoid rancour during the election.
“It is not in doubt that Nigerians are tired and are therefore looking for a better option. Happily, with the caliber of people joining our party such as Senator Shekarau, the New Nigeria Peoples Party is today that new option that Nigerians have been yearning and waiting for. And we promise Nigerians that we shall do everything possible to ensure that every Nigerian is carried along. This party is all about correcting past and current mistakes made by the APC and PDP and with your support, we shall achieve a better Nigeria and very soon it shall be the number one force in the country”, Prof Alkali stated.
Meanwhile, the party has announced a shift in the dates for the senatorial and governorship primaries.
According to the National Secretary of the party and chairman convention planning committee, Dipo Olayoku, the action was taken by the party leadership to ensure transparent and hitch-free primaries.
