The All Democratic Alliance, ADA, promoter, Umar Ardo, has revealed that he warned former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, and former Kano State governor, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, against aligning with the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, insisting that the party’s legal troubles remain unresolved.
Ardo made the disclosure while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show programme on Thursday.
According to him, his opposition to the NDC’s registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, predates the reported interest of Obi and Kwankwaso in the party.
He said he publicly opposed the registration shortly after INEC announced it on February 6, stressing that his position had nothing to do with either politician.
Ardo explained that after discovering what he described as irregularities surrounding the party, he reached out to associates close to Obi to warn him against joining the NDC, advising that there were other political platforms available.
He further disclosed that he personally met with Kwankwaso and also contacted him shortly before his alleged move to the party to inform him about the issues facing the NDC.
Despite the warnings, Ardo said both politicians proceeded with their involvement in the party, adding that their entry had not changed the situation.
He said: “A day after INEC announced NDC’s registration, I was here in your studio. I was opposing it on the 6th of February. So it is not about Peter Obi.
“It is not good at all whatsoever. What was my business with Obi? What was my business with Kwankwaso?
“And when I had these facts, I communicated to, I don’t have Peter Obi’s line to discuss with him directly, but I communicated to all those who have been close to Obi, telling them to tell him that if they are considering going to another political party, there are other political parties to go in, not NDC, because this is the problem NDC is facing.
“And I sat down with Kwankwaso, and I told him. And I also called him a day or two before they moved in. I also told him that these are the problems that this NDC is facing, but they refused. They went and entered.
“So the fact that they entered doesn’t mean that it has changed the situation. The situation is as bad as it has always been.
“So I have no motive whatsoever other than to stop, you know, a national fraud on the country. You cannot come through this way and expect people to vote for you.”