2027 Election: Kwankwaso Explains How North Leaders Settled for Peter Obi
- Rabiu Kwankwaso, the NDC chieftain and the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, said he agreed to work with Peter Obi after an assessment by northern political leaders
- Kwankwaso, the former governor of Kano state, also dismissed allegations of a power struggle between him and Peter Obi
- The NDC chieftain recalled that even during the 2023 general elections, his daughter had advised him to work with Obi
Rabiu Kwankwaso, the former governor of Kano state and the national leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, claimed that the political leaders in the northern region carried out a deliberate assessment of political allies before settling on Peter Obi as the most viable partner for the 2027 presidential campaign.
The former governor made the claim while dismissing concerns about an alleged power struggle between him and Obi.
Source: Twitter
According to The Punch, Kwankwaso explained the development while speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Monday, May 11. He explained in detail how the alliance between the Southeast and the North within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) was formed.
He explained:
“I looked around together with our leadership in the North to say, okay, who do we think is capable? Who can come and work together with us honestly so that we can move this country forward? Along the line, we realised that Peter Obi is at the forefront of it. That’s why we all agreed to work together.”
In a clip of the interview, the 2027 NDC vice presidential hopeful recalled that even in the 2023 elections, his daughter had advised him to work with Obi. He stated that many in his age group are talking about religion and ethnicity, while the younger generation wants the right leadership.
Nigerians react as Kwankwaso speaks on Obi
Kwankwaso's position has drawn reactions from Nigerians. Below are some of their comments:
Emeka Ezeanya commended the former Kano governor:
"Kwankwaso’s daughter just schooled the old guard. Even at home, the youth were screaming “Peter Obi” while elders played the religion-ethnicity card. Now Baba himself admits it: Gen Z wants competence, not tribe. Nigeria’s waking up, one family at a time."
Source: Twitter
Aliee reiterated the importance of younger Nigerians:
"That’s the shift many people underestimate. Younger Nigerians are exhausted by old divisions and are voting based on competence, vision, and accountability. A country moves forward when leadership becomes bigger than tribe or religion."
Balogun Joseph alleged that Kwankwaso was using Obi for his presidential ambition:
"This guy is just using Obi's head, he knows Obi can't win the 2027 election but want to use him to get his presidential ambitions alive till 2031. Una go learn politics by force."
Naijamuslim alleged that Kwankwaso is working for Tinubu:
"In 2023, his PhD told him not to work with Obi, but now the PhD no longer matters; he’s working with Obi to help Tinubu win. Kwankwanso is a political machinery."
Watch the video of his interview on X here:
List of lawmakers who have defected
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Senate and the House of Representatives were shaken following a mass resignation of lawmakers from the ADC on Tuesday, May 5.
The development came 48 hours after Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso decided to dump the coalition for the NDC in the pursuit of their presidential ambitions.
Four senators and 18 members of the House of Representatives dumped the ADC and joined the former presidential candidates in the NDC, except for one senator and one Reps member, who joined another party.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
