The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has shed light on the collapse of talks with prominent politicians Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso regarding a potential alliance for the 2027 elections. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the national chairman, disclosed during a Hausa political program on DITV Kaduna that the negotiations faltered due to fundamental disagreements over membership conditions.
According to Baba-Ahmed, both Obi and Kwankwaso initially expressed interest in joining the PRP and discussions progressed to the point of forming a committee for further dialogue. However, the talks hit a snag when the two politicians demanded guarantees that they would secure the party’s presidential ticket without facing any internal contest.
“They approached us wanting to join the PRP, but during our conversations, they laid out specific terms,” Baba-Ahmed explained. “They made it clear that, given their status as presidential candidates, they expected to be handed the ticket outright. We told them firmly that the PRP does not operate that way.”
The chairman emphasized that the party insisted both men must first become full-fledged members and follow its established procedures before seeking any political office. “I told them, ‘Join the party first. Once you are members, you can come to me and say, ‘I am Obi and I want to run for president,’ and ‘I am Kwankwaso and I want to be his running mate.’ But to come before any decision and demand the ticket without opposition is troubling. If you are truly strong contenders, why fear competition?”
Baba-Ahmed acknowledged the political influence and extensive followership of Obi and Kwankwaso, noting that the PRP leadership recognized their strength. Nevertheless, he stressed that the party could not violate its constitution or undermine internal democratic processes to accommodate them. “We believed that anyone walking into a room and seeing Obi and Kwankwaso would know that formidable candidates had arrived. But we cannot bend our party’s rules,” he said.
He also revealed that the camps of both politicians requested a large number of party positions, citing the many supporters they would bring into the PRP. “They asked for multiple posts to be reserved for them because of their large followership. We responded that this was not a problem—they should first become members, and then we could meet to discuss further,” Baba-Ahmed added.