The alleged demands of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), have been characterized by All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Taofiq Raimi as overly ambitious and unacceptable.
In an interview with ARISE Television’s “Prime Time” program, Raimi reportedly stated that the purported demands, which included control over 20% of the APC’s national structure, the vice-presidential position, and a guaranteed presidential ticket in 2031, were incompatible with the party’s size, diversity, and internal power balance.
Such demands, according to Raimi, were more indicative of too ambitious personal goals than of a desire to collaborate with a wide coalition.
“What Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso demanded from our party has been quite accurately reported as unrealistic and overrated,” he declared. Five people would essentially control the entire party if one person held twenty percent of the national structure. That is unacceptable in a party that has 774 local governments and 36 states.
It’s overly ambitious. It ought to serve as a warning to individuals who feel that their personal interests cannot be sacrificed for the party’s overall goals.
Raimi emphasizes that the present vice president, Kashim Shettima, will continue to run alongside President Bola Tinubu in 2027 and claims that the reported demand for the vice presidential position is premature and politically impossible.
“We think that demand is immature at this moment,” he stated.
“At the moment, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts are complemented by a highly successful vice president. We think he will stay on the same ticket regardless of future developments.
Despite his criticism, Raimi said the APC leadership was ready to cooperation with Kwankwaso, adding that political negotiations must ultimately serve national cohesiveness rather than elite bargains.
“Our president is one of the best political strategists to come out of Nigeria in modern democracy,” he continued. The door is still open if Senator Kwankwaso feels he can collaborate with other stakeholders for Nigeria’s benefit.
“The person in charge of Nigeria has a vital position for both Africa and our nation. Politics should focus on cooperation for the advancement of the country rather than making excessive demands.
