Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, engaged in a second meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja on August 24.
Saifullahi Hassan, a media aide to Kwankwaso, confirmed the meeting via a Facebook post and shared photographs of the two leaders taken at the presidential villa in Abuja. According to Hassan, the discussion centered around matters of national importance.
This meeting occurs against the backdrop of reports suggesting that Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (NNPP), and Peter Obi of the Labour Party are in discussions regarding a potential merger. The objective is to establish a strong political party capable of effectively challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
These discussions among the three political figures, which have been ongoing for a period, are said to have commenced with a meeting between Atiku, the PDP’s presidential candidate, and Kwankwaso. Following the apparent success of this initial meeting, talks expanded to include Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) and a prominent figure in the OBIdient Movement, along with other significant members of the PDP.
The ongoing discussions, currently in the preliminary stages, are anchored on two primary pillars. However, reports suggest that the trio is adopting a wait-and-see approach, observing the outcome of election-related petitions in court before making any further decisions. The court’s verdict in these cases is anticipated to influence the next steps of their alliance should the outcome be unfavorable.