Ahead of the Presidential election, the Northern Liberal Democratic Movement (NLDM) has on called the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso to withdraw from race and support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag-bearer, Atiku Abubakar.
In a statement signed Saturday by its National Secretary, Balarabe Ali Bello, the group contended that the mood and opinion of stakeholders in the region as well as the country favours Atiku.
The statement noted, “Apart from the mood of the people of the region, there is a current defections of many chieftains and members of the NNPP across the three Northern zones to PDP across the region in anticipation of a likely Atiku’s victory in February.
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“The NNPP had in the last few weeks lost its chieftains to the PDP, with the recent being the deputy governorship candidates of the party in Niger and Yobe States, as well as the state chairman of the party in Kaduna and the zonal secretary of the party in the North East zone who defected with scores of their supporters.
“No fewer than 700,000 members of the party are also said to have defected to PDP in Bauchi State, North East zone of the country, prompting many stakeholders in the region to urge Kwankwaso to withdraw in favour of the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar who many see as well-placed to win the February election”.
