*Asks Tinubu emulate Yar’Adua by admitting 2023 polls was flawed
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), has rejected the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the rallying point of opposition parties in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party described Atiku, a former Vice-President, and his PDP as same bedfellows with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that it does not share anything common with the ruling and main opposition party.
Atiku had indicated interest to lead a coalition of other political parties to dislodge the APC in 2027.
The former vice president stated that he would lead alongside Governors and other political leaders in the opposition parties.
He argued that only a united opposition force can strengthen democracy in Nigeria, saying“I am as prepared as ever, to lead the charge, alongside all our leaders and Governors, for the good of our country,”
But PRP National Chairman, Falalu Bello, at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday described Atiku’s call for merger as self-serving, saying that the former Vice-President had been part of a government that contributed to the challenges facing the country today.
While clarifying that the PRP was not against merger, he said the party is known with an ideology and would not want to go into an alliance with any party with different principles.
Bello said: “We have been a political party since 1979. We stand for something but we are not going to merge with any party that do not believe in what we believe in. We are in the left of the spectrum, not in the right. For me, PDP and APC are same thing.
“Both have ruled us for 25years collectively and we have seen what they did. Is Atiku not the vice president in the PDP government? Are they different. They are all capitalist. China today has the highest number of billionaires and they practice mixed economy.
“PRP are not against alliance or merger but we do that based on principle not base on Atiku trying to be president. We are not going to be a party to any alliance that is not in line with oir principles. The only thing we have in common with PDP is that we are all political party.
“Ideally, Labour party should be our partner. They came here before election to talk to us but they were more concerned in who will become the presidential candidate. I don’t believe in what PDP stands for. I know Atiku since 1984 as a person, but that is a different matter on whether I like his policy or not. We believe in alliance or merger but we should have alliance with people of like minds.”
