Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has strongly denied allegations that he is secretly collaborating with President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections. Speaking during an interview on Global TV, Kwankwaso described the rumors as baseless and only believed by foolish individuals.
Kwankwaso Responds to Allegations
The allegations were recently made by Sanusi Bature, the spokesperson for Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, who claimed that Kwankwaso's political maneuvers would ultimately benefit President Tinubu. Reacting to the claim, Kwankwaso said: “I think only foolish people would believe that. We are not working for anybody. We are only working for the NNPP.”
He acknowledged his long-standing personal relationship with Tinubu but stressed that it does not translate to political alignment. “Bola Tinubu has been my senior brother and good friend up till now. But that doesn't mean we shall pull all our political ideologies together with him. He is doing his own and I am doing my own,” Kwankwaso stated.
Criticism of Tinubu’s Administration
Kwankwaso also expressed concerns about President Tinubu's awareness of Nigeria's challenges, suggesting that those around him may be shielding him from the truth. “Normally under the current circumstances, the president may not see what is happening. And unfortunately, most of the people around him are actually the ones creating the problems. So, in those circumstances, it is difficult to see who will advise him or tell him the obvious situation,” he said.
Support for Peter Obi
The former governor defended his support for Peter Obi, the Labour Party's presidential candidate in the 2023 election, describing him as the best option from southern Nigeria. Kwankwaso explained that the NNPP, after zoning its presidential ticket to the south, assessed various candidates and concluded that Obi was the most suitable. “When we joined the NNPC, we invited all our leaders from the six geo-political zones and we sat down and looked at the situations. We then decided to come together and work as a family. The party, in its own wisdom, decided to zone the presidential ticket to the south. We looked around across the zones and we realized that Peter Obi is the best candidate. That was our assessment at that particular time,” he added.
Kwankwaso's remarks come amid ongoing political realignments and speculations ahead of the 2027 elections, with various political figures positioning themselves for the next presidential contest.
