The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has explained why former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and ex-presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, did not join the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a Hausa political programme on DITV Kaduna on Tuesday, Baba-Ahmed said talks between the PRP and both politicians collapsed after disagreements over conditions attached to their proposed entry into the party.
He explained that although Obi and Kwankwaso had approached the PRP for possible collaboration, the negotiations later stalled after both sides failed to reach an agreement.
“They came and said they wanted to join the PRP, but when we sat down and discussed with them, there were certain demands they made,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed said a key issue was their request to be guaranteed the party’s presidential ticket without going through internal competition.
“Before they joined, they told us that they were the presidential candidates, meaning they should be given the ticket. We told them no, this is PRP; we do not practice that kind of politics,” he said.
He maintained that the PRP insisted that any aspirant must first become a member of the party and comply with its constitutional processes before contesting for any position.
“I told them: first come into the party. After joining, you can then tell me, ‘I am Obi, and I want to run for President,’ and ‘I am Kwankwaso, and I want to be his running mate.’
“But for you to come even before a decision is made and ask us to guarantee you the ticket without opposition — if you are truly strong contenders, then why fear competition?” he asked.
Baba-Ahmed noted that while the PRP recognised the political influence of both figures, the party would not compromise its internal democratic structures.
“We believed that if anyone entered a room and saw Obi and Kwankwaso, they would think strong contenders had arrived. But we cannot break our party’s rules,” he stated.
He also revealed that the two political camps sought assurance of several party positions based on their claimed support base.
“They requested that many positions be given to them because they said they had many supporters. We told them this was not a problem — come into the party first, then we can sit down and discuss,” he added.
According to him, concerns about the party’s registration status on the Independent National Electoral Commission portal, as well as internal disputes, also contributed to the breakdown of discussions.
“They said when they checked the INEC portal, they could not find our party’s name there, which has been addressed. But they also heard some people falsely claiming to be PRP members, which they felt could create confusion if they joined the party. We told them we are doing our best to address that too,” he explained.
Baba-Ahmed said the discussions ended on a cordial note, saying that “We wished each other well and parted peacefully — there was no quarrel or fight,” he said.
The PUNCH