2023 presidency: Ladipo Johnson emerges Kwankwaso’s running mate in NNPP

The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwanso, has named Ladipo Johnson, a lawyer from Lagos State, as his running mate for the 2023 general elections.

The announcement was made by the party on the Twitter page, @nnpphqabuja1.

The NNPP stated, “Road to 2023: Barr Ladipo Johnson is the Vice Presidential candidate of our great party.”

LEADERSHIP had earlier reported that three candidates from the South were screened as possible running mates to the former Kano State governor.

Johnson who had earlier contested for governorship in Lagos State but failed is the President of the African Institute of Enterprise Development and Management.

Ladipo Johnson is however said to be standing in as the party’s vice-presidential candidate and his name submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission to meet the June 17 deadline.

This is coming hours after Doyin Okupe, who was named as the “placeholder” vice-presidential candidate for the Labour Party (NNPP), said talks were ongoing between his party and the NNPP on forming a coalition for the 2023 elections.

“Our idea and reasoning is to bring together in this country, for the first time, the largest political coalition possible because we are facing two political giants — APC and PDP. We are serious about upstaging them and we will,” he had said.

Earlier on Saturday, the NNPP confirmed that talks were ongoing on the coalition.

“We wish to inform Nigerians that our discussions with Peter Obi and the Labour Party are still ongoing. Special committee was set to discuss arrangements. We hope for good results that will give Nigeria a chance to be alive, once again,” the party said.