19 hours ago
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A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and key figure in the Kwankwasiyya movement, Buba Galadima, has ruled out merging with political parties that do not share his group’s ideology or commitment to the masses.
In an interview with DCL Hausa, an online platform, Galadima stressed that any alliance must be based on shared principles and a collective vision for the underprivileged.
His remarks followed former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), with reports suggesting more political heavyweights may join the SDP.
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Speculation also swirled that El-Rufai aimed to broker reconciliation between NNPP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar, potentially uniting them under an alliance to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
But Galadima dismissed such moves, stating, “Our ideology is different from theirs. We can only merge with those who uphold similar beliefs, prioritise the masses, and reject the embezzlement of public resources. If we find such people, we will align with them.”
He emphasised that his partnership with Kwankwaso is rooted in ideology and service to the poor, rejecting alliances with capitalist-driven politicians.
“We will not move forward with one capitalist after another. Everyone knows Kwankwaso and I are in this for ideology, and our focus is on the less privileged. When God grants us the opportunity, the underprivileged will experience the impact of a responsible government,” he added.
Galadima expressed confidence that divine intervention would favour Kwankwaso in future elections. “Our hope and prayer are that when the elections come, whoever wins should be given what is rightfully theirs. But I am confident God will turn things around in Kwankwaso’s favour,” he said.
Meanwhile, the SDP in Kano State has revealed that it is finalising plans to welcome prominent members of the NNPP, APC and other parties in the state.
Kano State SDP chairman, Ali Shattima Tudun-Murtala, said the party has been covertly wooing aggrieved politicians for seven months but declined to name defectors until after Ramadan.
“SDP will soon receive top members of APC, NNPP and PDP, perhaps after Ramadan. Now is not the time to mention names, but I assure you arrangements are in place for a colorful ceremony,” he said.
Tudun-Murtala hinted that some APC chieftains who lost in the 2023 elections and were overlooked for national appointments are among those considering joining the SDP. These include Aminu Suleiman Goro (Fagge federal constituency), Nasiru Ali Ahmed (Nasarawa federal constituency), and Manniru Babba Danagundi (Kumbotso federal constituency), all of whom lost re-election bids and feel sidelined by their party.
