The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has claimed that former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, failed to join the PRP ahead of the 2027 general elections because they allegedly demanded automatic presidential tickets without internal competition.
Key Highlights:
- PRP says Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso sought automatic presidential tickets
- Hakeem Baba-Ahmed insists PRP rejected requests that violated party rules
- PRP leadership says both politicians were asked to join through due process
- Kwankwasiyya Movement dismisses claims as attention-seeking
- Obi’s camp had not officially reacted as of press time
- PRP says internal democracy remains non-negotiable ahead of 2027 elections
- Peter Obi and Kwankwaso have now reportedly aligned with the NDC
Speaking during a Hausa political programme on DITV Kaduna, Baba-Ahmed said negotiations between the PRP and the two opposition figures collapsed after disagreements over conditions for joining the party.
According to him, discussions initially progressed to the point where a committee was proposed to continue negotiations before talks eventually broke down.
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“They came and said they wanted to join the PRP, but when we sat down and discussed with them, there were certain demands they made,” Baba-Ahmed stated.
The PRP chairman alleged that one of the major sticking points was the request by both politicians to secure the party’s presidential ticket without facing opposition during the primary process.
“Before they joined, they told us that 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,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed explained that the PRP insisted that both Obi and Kwankwaso must first formally become members of the party before pursuing any elective position through the party’s constitutional process.
“I told them: first come into the party. After joining, you can then tell me, ‘I am Obi and I want to run for President,’ and ‘I am Kwankwaso and I want to be his running mate.’
“But for you to come even before a decision is made and ask us to guarantee you the ticket without opposition, if you are truly strong contenders, then why fear competition?” he queried.
The PRP chairman said the party acknowledged the political strength and popularity of both politicians but maintained that internal democracy and constitutional procedures could not be compromised.
“We believed that if anyone entered a room and saw Obi and Kwankwaso, they would think strong contenders had arrived. But we cannot break our party’s rules,” he added.
Baba-Ahmed further claimed that the camps of the two politicians also requested significant party positions because of the large number of supporters they intended to bring into the PRP.
“They requested that many positions be given to them because they said they had many supporters. We told them this was not a problem, come into the party first, then we can sit down and discuss,” he said.
However, the Kwankwasiyya Movement swiftly rejected the allegations, describing the claims as baseless and politically motivated.
Reacting to the development, spokesperson of the movement, Habeeb Saleh Mohammed, said he was unaware of any formal arrangement where Kwankwaso or Obi demanded an automatic presidential ticket from the PRP.
“Well, I believe every Nigerian familiar with the situation will tell you that the PRP made a public appeal through its national chairman, asking Peter Obi, my principal, and members of the coalition to join the party,” he said.
Mohammed argued that the PRP leadership was merely seeking public attention by making such claims, especially as both Obi and Kwankwaso continue to dominate discussions around the 2027 presidential election.
“I don’t know what exactly they are trying to prove. Since my principal and Peter Obi became the centre of attraction, everybody wants to attract attention to himself by making these statements,” he added.
He maintained that, to his knowledge, there was never any official meeting where either politician requested a guaranteed presidential ticket from the PRP.
Political observers believe the revelations highlight the growing behind-the-scenes negotiations and power struggles already shaping alliances ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Both Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have since reportedly aligned with the Nigeria Democratic Congress as preparations intensify for the next electoral cycle.
