After listening to key stakeholders in both the Labor Party (LP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) speak on the proposed merger between both political parties, I can only conclude that the merger will not come to fruition. Particularly, after listening to the unappealing words by Alhaji Buba Galadima on the same topic, I knew that that door was shut.
Obi and Kwankwaso are fine gentlemen, each eminently qualified in themselves to rule the country. Both are former 2-term governors. The crux of the matter has always been who will deputize for the other. According to Kwankwaso, all the issues raised in the proposed merger had been resolved except that of who will be the deputy to the other.
Kwankwaso’s camp thinks Kwankwaso should be the president and not VP mainly because of his demography. Firstly, they believe Kwankwaso has an intimidating resume compared to Obi’s. This can hardly be faulted. Obi is a 2-term governor, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and a highly successful businessman. Kwankwaso on the other hand has been a governor, a senator, a deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, a minister (of defense) and an ambassador.
They also argue that Kwankwaso is better educated than Obi. Well, this depends on how level of education is adjudged. If it is based on number of certifications, then Kwankwaso doesn’t come near Obi. But if assessed based on one’s highest academic qualification, then they are right. Obi’s highest qualification is a bachelors degree (or perhaps a diploma). Kwankwaso has a Ph.D in water engineering.
Kwankwaso argues that he comes from the northern part of the country which has the highest voting capital in the country. He posits further that since the country votes along ethnic lines, it is only natural to allow a northerner to be on the balot. I find this argument by Kwankwaso and his team very pathetic especially as it is quite hypocritical for them to say this. On the one hand, when reminded that it is only fair for the South East to produce the next president, they argue that they represent a New Nigeria where one’s place of origin does not matter and that every Nigerian must have an equal opportunity. In the same breath, they say that Kwankwaso is from the North and stands a better chance of winning since his Northern kinsmen will vote for him over Obi.
Other arguments are equally feeble. They claim that since Peter Obi is a good economist and the office of the VP supposedly manages the economy, it is therefore only natural for Obi to be made VP. Then they threw this rotten carrot at the Igbos that their best chance of producing a president of Nigeria was to start by deputizing for a northerner. They even went as far as comparing their ages. Kwankwaso is 5 years older than Obi. Hence they said it is only fair for him ‘to go first’ as the president since age will no longer be on his side after 8 years.
The arguments from Kwankwaso’s team were rarely based on the quality of the candidate himself but rather on sentiments. This was quite disappointing coming from a candidate as highly experienced and qualified as Kwankwaso. However, Kwankwaso, even with his kwankwasiya movement will be a hard-sell. Kwankwaso hails from Kano, a state that shares boundaries with Buhari’s Katsina. How would you possibly convince Nigerians to have a northwestern muslim as president for 16 uninterrupted years. It is as unfair as it is improbable.
Peter Obi on the other hand thinks he should be the president because he is more competent. He arrived at this conclusion based on what he refers to as his antecedents as governor of Anambra state. Surprisingly, Peter Obi also doesn’t want ethnicity to be a factor in choosing who will be Nigeria’s next president. I tend to disagree with this. Without zoning, some regions of the country like the North central and South east can never produce a president in the country. Unfortunately in Nigeria, tribe and religion still play a major part in our polity and this cannot be ignored. If Peter Obi disagrees with this, he should pick a southern christian as his running mate.
The LP-NNPP merger or political collaboration will not happen. People like Galadima used very unsavory comments to describe the Igbos on national television such as saying they are ‘politically naive’ or ‘bottom in politics’. A lot of nerves have been frayed in the process of negotiating this merger that I wonder if more harm hasn’t been done than good. Political opportunists have latched onto this and sought to divide the country even further.
Anyways, the NNPP has started looking elsewhere. I gather they are in talks with Kingsley Moghalu. Obi is looking elsewhere also. Rumors have it that he will announce Datti Baba-Ahmed today as his running mate.