LP Says No Merger Plan With PDP, NNPP Says Future Alliance Must Adopt Kwankwaso
The Labour Party (LP) says it has no plan to merge with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to dislodge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
LP’s spokesman, Obiora Ifoh, in a statement on Thursday, said his party just concluded the 2023 presidential election episode and a post mortem was yet to hold.
Ifoh said the way forward for the party has not been discussed and “when we do, Nigerians will be properly informed”.
The LP was reacting to a proposal by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was the PDP flag bearer in the February poll, that opposition parties merge to defeat the ruling APC in the next presidential election.
Atiku, on Tuesday, had expressed concerns that Nigeria was moving towards a “one-party dictatorship” state and called on other opposition parties to come together to defeat the ruling APC.
Reacting in a statement on Thursday, the LP said Atiku’s call “was only a proposal and every Nigerian should be interested in making democracy work in Nigeria and that what we have presently is an autocracy”.
“There was no where in the response that the purported merger between LP and PDP was mentioned.” Ifoh emphasised.
But the NNPP described Atiku’s call as emotional and medicine after death.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Yakubu Shendam, said any merger being considered must be to support Kwankwaso to become President, otherwise, the NNPP was not interested.
Shendam said, “This is like medicine after death. If there is any future collaboration, it should not be as a result of emotions. We are going all along because we have a gladiator who has the capacity to take over Nigeria.
“We believe that there is a need to canvass for support from people to win the election, from all sides. However, we believe that single-handedly Kwankwaso can deliver Nigeria in 2027.
Related: Atiku Urges Opposition To Form Coalition Against APC
“But that doesn’t mean that we are not looking for players like Atiku to join our party. If there is going to be a merger, it should be with the NNPP, because Atiku is now retiring, so, he should support Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
“We don’t want to join forces with people who are under emotions but we are comfortable as a party having a person like Rabiu Kwankwaso, as our national leader. We are calling on Atiku as an elder brother to close ranks with Kwankwaso if he wants to be relevant in 2027.”
Also, the ruling APC slammed Atiku, over the proposal, saying the ex-VP and his party failed at the polls since 2015 and have failed to offer credible opposition to Nigerians.