Forget ‘personal ambition’, return to PDP, Makarfi advises Peter Obi, Kwankwaso

Former Kaduna State governor, Ahmed Makarfi, has advised Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his New Nigeria Peoples Party counterpart, Rabiu Kwankwaso to put aside their personal ambitions and return to the Peoples Democratic Party.

Makarfi gave this advice against the backdrop of the return of the Senator representing Kano Central, Ibrahim Shekarau, who left the New Nigeria Peoples Party and rejoined the PDP on Monday.

Makarfi, who is also a former PDP chairman, spoke while featuring as a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast show, Sunrise Daily, on Tuesday.

He said there were only two political parties in Nigeria – the PDP and the All Progressives Congress.

The former governor also said frustrated youths were only using the LP presidential flagbearear, Obi as a symbol.

He, however, warned that youths should not make decisions on the presidential candidate to vote for in anger. In May, 2022, Obi had abandoned the PDP and emerged as the Labour Party’s presidential candidate.

Shekarau, who is also a former Kano governor, dumped the NNPP after a disagreement with the party’s presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso. Shekarau was received in the PDP on Monday by the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; its presidential flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, amongst other PDP heavyweights in the North.

Speaking on the development during the programme on Tuesday, Makarfi said Shekarau’s move to the PDP was based on conviction and not personal ambition, noting that the new defector had abandoned his senatorial ambition for 2023 in the NNPP.

Shekarau had in May left the APC after a fallout with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. Shekarau joined the NNPP but barely three months later, he dumped the NNPP for the PDP. The founding member of the APC in 2013 was also a PDP member in 2014.

Makarfi said, “Nigerian politics is a bit funny especially politics of the opposition. Before APC captured power, the opposition came together but unfortunately, we have a situation in Nigeria where the opposition wakes up and everyone tries to capture power.

“I want to make a plea to other opposition parties that let them think about Nigeria first and what is good for Nigeria; let us do what APC did – come together, talk amongst ourselves and arrive at something that all of us will agree to and bring positive change to this country.

“Peter Obi, personally, he respects me, I respect him. Kwankwaso still is my friend, I respect him but the issue is that we should all swallow personal ambition for the sake of this country and bring positive change by changing the government that is in power today.

“About the fears of the youths, I am not blaming them but when you are frustrated when you are angry, you may take a decision that will worsen your situation.

“I call on other opposition parties to actually come together, especially Peter Obi, I know he respects our presidential candidate (Atiku) a lot and many of us. PDP will be home to him, PDP will be home to his supporters, and Kwankwaso. We all started PDP together, let us come back home and do the needful for the sake of this country.”