2027: Kwankwaso hits back: ‘We never begged PRP for Presidential ticket’

Leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has reacted strongly to claims by the National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, that both Kwankwaso and former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi sought the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a swift rebuttal, Kwankwaso’s political faction, the Kwankwasiyya Movement, dismissed the allegations, labelling them as a tactic by Baba-Ahmed to attract attention. Habeeb Saleh Mohammed, spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, made it clear that no such demands had been made by Kwankwaso or Obi.

Speaking during an interview with DITV Kaduna, Baba-Ahmed explained that the PRP had rejected attempts by both politicians to join the party after they allegedly sought guarantees for the presidential ticket without internal competition. He maintained that discussions broke down over these terms, as the PRP insisted that both figures adhere to its democratic processes before being considered for any electoral positions.

Baba-Ahmed said, “Before they joined, they told us they were presidential candidates, meaning they should be given the ticket. We told them no, this is PRP; we do not practice that kind of politics.”

However, Kwankwaso’s camp has denied these claims. Mohammed stated that while the PRP had publicly invited both Kwankwaso and Obi to join the party, there was never a formal meeting where the two politicians directly requested the presidential ticket.

“There was no official sitting where my principal or Peter Obi directly requested a ticket,” Mohammed clarified. He went on to question Baba-Ahmed’s motives, suggesting that the PRP chairman’s statements were designed to generate attention amid the rising profile of Kwankwaso and Obi.

The dispute comes after both politicians joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to pursue their presidential aspirations, marking a significant step in their political careers. Despite the back-and-forth, PRP’s stance remains clear: no candidate will be offered the presidential ticket without first following the party’s internal process.

Mohammed dismissed Baba-Ahmed’s remarks as unfounded and unsubstantiated, stating, “The claim that we approached them for a ticket is baseless and should not have even warranted a response.”