BREAKING: PRP dismisses claims Kwankwaso hijacked party positions ahead of 2027

Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has dismissed allegations that the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, secured 69 party nomination forms for his allies ahead of the 2027 general election.

Baba-Ahmed made the clarification during an appearance on the Arise Television Morning Show on Tuesday, describing the claim as false and baseless.

“This is completely false. There is no way Kwankwaso could have bought 69 forms. The person who made the claim, the party does not know him,” he said.

According to him, all aspirants who sought elective positions under the party followed due process, including registration, participation in primaries and compliance with party guidelines.

“As far as the PRP is concerned, forms were sold to everyone. They registered, contested and went through primaries,” he added.

The PRP chairman also revealed that discussions were held with Peter Obi and Kwankwaso regarding a possible alliance ahead of the 2027 elections.

“They came to the party. We spent some time discussing whether they could join the PRP. Eventually, they decided the party could not meet their needs and they moved on,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for some of the challenges the party experienced, alleging that delays in uploading the party’s information on the electoral body’s portal created setbacks.

Despite the challenges, he expressed confidence in the party’s prospects.

“We are a very healthy party, and we believe our chances are very bright,” he said.

On complaints by some party members over the outcome of the primaries, Baba-Ahmed said internal investigations found no wrongdoing and noted that dissatisfaction was not unusual in competitive political contests.

Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, he said the PRP would focus on presenting solutions to Nigeria’s economic and security challenges rather than engaging in debates over regional power rotation.

“We are going to engage Nigerians and explain how we can reverse the current trajectory. The PRP has the capacity and intention to expose the weaknesses of this administration and offer a credible alternative,” he said.

The party chairman said the PRP would unveil its manifesto within the next three weeks, outlining its plans for economic reforms, restructuring and national security.

Addressing the issue of insecurity, Baba-Ahmed said a PRP-led government would adopt a multi-pronged strategy, combining military action with dialogue where necessary.

“We will fight those killing Nigerians. Those willing to talk will be engaged based on the damage they have caused the country. We will explore all options. It is not negotiable that Nigeria should live with insecurity,” he said.