Pressure On NNPP Presidential Candidate, Kwankwaso To Step Down For Atiku – Source

Some leaders in the Northern part of Nigeria are said to be making move to adopt a consensus presidential candidate for the northern people ahead of the next year general election.

The Nigerian Voice understands that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and his counterpart from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso are among the major candidates in the forthcoming election, especially from the north.

Confiding in journalists, sources disclosed that many leaders in the North are in support of Atiku’s presidential ambition.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source said the former vice president has been adopted as a consensus candidate.

The source said, “Our people have resolved to adopt a consensus candidate for 2023 and the person they have picked is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the PDP.”

As a notable member of the Northern Elders Forum, the source said prominent leaders in the North are mounting pressure on Kwankwaso to withdraw for Atiku.

According to the source, “I can tell you that our leaders in the North have commenced moves to pressurise Senator Kwankwaso to drop his presidential bid for Atiku Abubakar in the interest of our people.”

Meanwhile, speculation has it that Kwankwaso has remained adamant about the pressures to jettison his ambition for Atiku.

The former Governor of Kano State was said to be very resolute to go on with his presidential ambition.

A source in the NNPP said, “Madugu (Kwankwaso’s sobriquet) has been bombarded with calls and visitations from prominent leaders in the North to drop his bid for Waziri (Atiku’s traditional title) but he (former Kano governor) has remained adamant.”

The source noted that Kwankwaso’s refusal to step down might not be unconnected to the circumstances that led to his exit from the PDP.

The source added, “It would be difficult for Madugu to support the PDP because of the way some people close to Alhaji Atiku treated him when he was there, so such a possibility is very remote.

“I think even if he drops his bid, the only person Madugu would back is Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.’’