Former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has declared his readiness to serve as running mate to Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential election, signalling a major boost for the emerging opposition coalition. Kwankwaso made the declaration during an interview on ARISE News PrimeTime on Monday night, amid ongoing coalition talks among opposition politicians seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.
Competent leadership over regional considerations
The former governor stated that the priority for Nigeria at the moment should be competent leadership rather than regional considerations over whether power should remain in the North or South. According to him, “What is key now is not presidency from the North or from the South. What is key is to have quality leadership – people who are determined and committed to give the country the leadership it deserves.”
Coalition agreement on zoning
Kwankwaso explained that leaders within the coalition had agreed that Southern Nigeria should complete another term in office before power returns to the North, adding that the arrangement was necessary to stabilise the political atmosphere and strengthen opposition unity ahead of the next general election. He noted that Obi was gradually emerging as the leading figure within the coalition following the decision of the National Democratic Congress to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria.
When asked whether he would accept to deputise Obi if the former Labour Party presidential candidate secures the party’s ticket, Kwankwaso said he was ready to work with any Southern candidate chosen by the coalition. “Yes, you can be sure. If the party decides that I should be the running mate of any candidate from the South, under the circumstances, I would be happy to work together with him,” he said.
Kwankwaso praises Obi’s leadership
Kwankwaso, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, described Obi as one of the few Nigerian politicians capable of providing the leadership the country currently needs. “Personally, I cannot remember any better combination, no matter how much time you are given, to find those who can beat us in terms of doing the right thing for this country,” he added.
Youth demand change
The former senator further stated that many Nigerians, especially young people, were becoming less concerned about ethnic and religious sentiments and were instead demanding competent and result-oriented leadership. According to him, worsening insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment and infrastructural decay had pushed citizens to seek genuine political change. “Young people are looking for the right leadership for this country, and I think they are absolutely right,” he said.
Kwankwaso also dismissed claims that an Obi-Kwankwaso alliance could weaken opposition support in Northern Nigeria, insisting that most Nigerians were more worried about the country’s deteriorating condition than regional politics. He disclosed that the Obedient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya Movement had already been working together across different parts of the country even before formal coalition talks intensified.
Criticism of APC
The former governor criticised the ruling APC, accusing several governors and political office holders of being disconnected from the realities facing ordinary Nigerians. He argued that the 2027 presidential election would not be determined solely by party structures or financial strength, but by the frustrations of citizens struggling with economic hardship and insecurity across the country.
