Former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, says he has concluded plans to formally declare his intention to run for the office of President in 2023 next week.

Mr Kwankwaso will be running on the platform of New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), a relatively unknown party he recently defected to from opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alongside his supporters.

The former senator had left ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the run up to the 2019 general election to realise his presidential ambition in PDP. But he failed.

“I have been consulting widely with friends and Nigerians of diverse interests and the outcome has been positive,” Mr Kwankwaso told a news conference in Abuja on Friday. “I will be informing Nigerians of my political ambition sometime early next week.”

The former governor said that support for the NNPP had been overwhelming going by the responses recorded at its recently-concluded membership registration drive.

The presidential aspirant decried the current insecurity in the country.

He said as a former Minister of Defence, he never thought insecurity would worsen to the present level.

Mr Kwankwaso said the country’s leadership must motivate the military, train and retrain troops and provide needed equipment that must be superior to what bandits and terrorists brandish.

“I believe the government has to do more. We are so worried.

“I believe security is one of the areas we will handle with utmost competence so that Nigerians can be free again to pursue their daily businesses,’’ he said.

He said also that the 2023 general elections would be between those who desired change in the affairs of Nigeria and those who want to retain the status quo.

(NAN)