Kwankwaso’s Demands Are Overambitious and Unacceptable, Says APC Chieftain Raimi

Taofiq Raimi, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has characterized the alleged demands of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria Peoples Party’s (NNPP) 2023 presidential candidate, as being excessively ambitious and unacceptable.

In an interview with ARISE Television’s “Prime Time” program, Raimi reportedly stated that the purported demands—which included control of 20% of the APC’s national structure, the vice-presidential position, and a guaranteed presidential ticket in 2031—were incompatible with the party’s size, diversity, and internal power balance.

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Raimi contended that rather than a desire to collaborate with a wide coalition, such requests were the result of too ambitious personal goals.

“What Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso demanded from our party has been accurately reported as unrealistic and overrated,” he stated. Five people would essentially control the entire party if one person held 20% of the national structure. In a party with 36 states and 774 local governments, that is unacceptable.

That’s excessive ambition. It ought to serve as a warning to those who think they can’t put the party’s overall interests ahead of their own.

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Raimi emphasizes that incumbent Vice President Kashim Shettima would continue to run alongside President Bola Tinubu in 2027 and claims that the alleged demand for the vice presidential position is premature and politically impossible.

“We think that demand is immature at this time,” he stated.

In addition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts, we currently have a vice president who is performing admirably. We think he will stay on the same ticket without affecting future dynamics.

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Despite his criticism, Raimi said the APC leadership was ready to cooperation with Kwankwaso, adding that political negotiations must ultimately serve national cohesiveness rather than elite bargains.

“Our president is one of the greatest political strategists to come out of Nigeria in modern democracy,” he continued. The door is still open if Senator Kwankwaso thinks he can collaborate with other stakeholders for Nigeria’s benefit.

“Whoever is in charge of Nigeria has a key position for both Africa and our nation. Instead of making excessive demands, politics should focus on cooperation for the advancement of the country.