Kwankwasiyya Movement Reacts As Reports Swirl Over Peter Obi, Kwankwaso’s Alleged Push For PRP Ticket

Speaking during a Hausa political programme on DITV Kaduna on Tuesday, Baba-Ahmed claimed discussions between the PRP and the two politicians collapsed over conditions attached to their proposed entry into the party.

According to him, both Obi and Kwankwaso explored the possibility of working with the PRP, with talks progressing to the point where a committee was proposed to continue negotiations.

“They approached us and indicated interest in joining the PRP, but during discussions, certain conditions were presented,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed alleged that one of the key demands was a guarantee of the party’s presidential ticket without going through a competitive internal process.

“They made it clear that they were presidential aspirants and expected the ticket to be handed to them. But we told them that PRP does not operate that way,” he stated.

He explained that the party insisted both politicians must first officially become members and follow due process before seeking any elective office.

“I told them to first join the party properly. After that, they could openly declare their ambitions, whether as presidential candidate or running mate. But asking for automatic endorsement before even joining the party was unacceptable,” he added.

Baba-Ahmed further argued that if both politicians were truly politically strong, there should be no fear of an open contest.

While acknowledging the political weight and popularity of Obi and Kwankwaso, the PRP chairman maintained that the party could not compromise its constitution or abandon internal democracy for any individual.

He also claimed that the camps of both politicians sought multiple strategic positions within the party structure because of the large number of supporters they intended to bring along.

According to him, the PRP’s response was simple: join the party first, then discussions about positions and future arrangements could follow.

Meanwhile, the Kwankwasiyya Movement has rejected the allegations.

Speaking to Vanguard, spokesperson of the movement, Habeeb Saleh Mohammed, described Baba-Ahmed’s remarks as an attempt to attract public attention.

He argued that it was actually the PRP leadership that publicly appealed to Obi, Kwankwaso, and members of the opposition coalition to consider joining the party.

Mohammed said he was unaware of any formal meeting where either Kwankwaso or Obi demanded an automatic presidential ticket from the PRP.

“To my knowledge, there was never any official engagement where my principal or Peter Obi requested that the ticket be handed to them,” he said.

He added that since both politicians have become major figures in Nigeria’s opposition politics, many individuals and groups now seek relevance by associating themselves with their names.

Mohammed insisted that Kwankwaso never approached the PRP with any demand for a guaranteed presidential ticket, describing the entire allegation as “baseless and unsubstantiated.”