PRP Chairman Explains Why Obi and Kwankwaso Won’t Get Ticket

The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Hakeem Baba‑Ahmed, explained why former Labour Party presidential hopeful Peter Obi and New Nigeria Peoples Party leader Rabiu Kwankwaso did not join the PRP ahead of the upcoming general election.

Speaking on a Hausa‑language political programme broadcast by DITV Kaduna, Baba‑Ahmed said that preliminary talks with the two politicians broke down after they insisted on conditions that conflicted with the party’s internal rules.

Obi and Kwankwaso initially approached the PRP with the aim of forming an alliance. “They came to us saying they wanted to join the PRP,” the chairman recounted, “but during the negotiations they put forward certain demands.” One of the principal points of disagreement, according to Baba‑Ahmed, was the pair’s request to be granted the party’s presidential ticket without facing any internal contest.

“Their position was that, because they were already presidential candidates, they should automatically receive the ticket,” he said. “We told them that the PRP does not operate that way.” Baba‑Ahmed stressed that party protocol requires any aspirant to first become a full member and abide by the established nomination process before seeking elective office.

He added that the PRP’s leadership recognised the political weight and support bases of both Obi and Kwankwaso. “If anyone walked into a room and saw them, they would immediately recognise strong contenders,” he noted, “but we cannot set aside the party’s constitution for that reason.”

The negotiations also touched on the allocation of party offices. Representatives of the two camps asked for a substantial number of positions, citing the large number of supporters they intended to bring into the PRP. Baba‑Ahmed replied that such requests could only be considered after formal membership was secured and the party’s internal structures were respected.

The chairman’s comments underscore the PRP’s commitment to internal democracy and its reluctance to make ad‑hoc arrangements that could undermine party discipline. While both Obi and Kwankwaso remain prominent figures in Nigerian politics, the failure of talks with the PRP illustrates the challenges of merging independent political brands into established party frameworks.

As the election cycle progresses, the PRP will continue to seek alliances that conform to its rules, while the two politicians are expected to pursue other avenues for their presidential ambitions. The outcome of these separate strategies will shape the composition of Nigeria’s contesting field and could influence the balance of power among opposition parties.