Peter Obi Reveals Why He Picked Kwankwaso as 2027 Running Mate
- Peter Obi explained his reasoning for selecting Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election
- The NDC presidential candidate addressed speculation of a rift between him and the former Kano governor ahead of the vote
- Obi also responded to questions about managing supporters from both the Obidient and Kwankwasiyya movements
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has identified a shared commitment to poverty reduction and investment in education as the foundation of his decision to pair with former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso for the 2027 presidential election.
Obi said Kwankwaso's philosophy and his own align closely enough to form a credible governing partnership.
Source: Twitter
As reported by The Punch, Obi stated this while speaking in an interview with The Sun published on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
"Kwankwaso has the philosophy of pulling people out of poverty. I have the same philosophy. Kwankwaso believes in education. You cannot change society without education."
He added that his public communications had long signalled this priority:
"If you look at my X, formerly Twitter, I made it clear that I will emphasise education. Education is going to change society. Nigeria must be seen to form its innermost human capital, which we need to develop. Kwankwaso believes in this. I do. We have synergy."
Obi dismisses talk of alliance tensions
The former Anambra State governor was equally direct in brushing aside suggestions that tensions had developed between him and Kwankwaso ahead of the January 2027 general election.
"I don't know why people talk about differences between people who are working together. Have you ever seen us quarrelling?
"People quarrel even in offices because of transactional governance. The country is in a mess because of transactional governance. I am not into transactional government. I am into transformational governance."
Managing Obidient Movement and Kwankwasiyya Movement
On whether the Obidient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya Movement could be brought together without friction, Obi expressed confidence that their supporters were already aligned by a common goal.
Legit.ng has previously reported on Obi and Kwankwaso's decision to join the NDC following their exit from the ADC amid legal and internal disputes within that platform.
Source: Twitter
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Nigeria's general elections have been set for early 2027, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling APC seeking a second term in office =.
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Source: Legit.ng
