The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has dismissed allegations that the party sold 69 nomination forms in Kano State to Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE Television on Tuesday, Baba-Ahmed described the claim as false, baseless, and completely disconnected from the party’s activities.
“This is complete fiction. The legitimate PRP chairman in Kano has already issued a statement describing the allegation as complete bunkum,” he said.
The controversy arose after Abdulkadir Musa-Guza, who claims to be the PRP chairman in Kano, alleged that Kwankwaso or his associates purchased nomination forms for all 69 elective positions in the state as part of a plan to take over the party’s structure ahead of the 2027 elections.
Addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Kano, Musa-Guza accused the former Kano State governor of attempting to infiltrate the party despite not officially joining its ranks.
However, Baba-Ahmed insisted that the allegation was impossible, noting that PRP nomination forms are issued exclusively through the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
“There is no way former Governor Kwankwaso could have purchased 69 forms from the PRP in Kano. We do not sell forms in Kano; all forms are issued from Abuja. The individual who claimed that 69 forms were sold to Kwankwaso is unknown to the party. He holds no position, has no authority to sell forms, and we do not recognise him,” he stated.
According to Baba-Ahmed, the controversy may be rooted in local political disputes within Kano State.
“It is possible that this entire story has been fabricated as part of ongoing political manoeuvring in Kano. As far as the PRP is concerned, forms were sold from Abuja to candidates across the country, including Kano. Those candidates registered, contested, and completed their primaries over a month ago.
“The candidates have emerged, and we are in the process of forwarding their names to INEC,” he added.
Baba-Ahmed further disclosed that he had spoken directly with Kwankwaso about the matter and said the former governor was equally surprised by the allegation.
“I have spoken with Kwankwaso, and he finds the claim as amusing as everyone else. Why would he buy 69 forms for non-existent candidates when he is not even a member of the party?” he said.
On reports that Kwankwaso and NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi had considered joining the PRP, Baba-Ahmed confirmed that discussions were held but ultimately did not lead to any formal alliance.
“They approached our party, and we had discussions about the possibility of them joining. In the end, they concluded that there was insufficient evidence that the party could meet their political objectives. We parted on good terms and remain friends,” he explained.
The PRP chairman also dismissed reports of factional divisions within the party, maintaining that the organisation remains united and focused ahead of future elections.
“The PRP has no faction. We passed through a difficult period marked by attempts from both within and outside the party to weaken us.
“The delay by INEC in uploading the names of our elected officials after a convention it observed created some challenges. However, we overcame those difficulties. Today, the PRP is a healthy and stable party.
“We are looking forward to a vigorous and transparent political contest, and we believe the PRP is well-positioned to make a significant impact in the next elections,” he said