By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka
Abuja
Former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso says northern political leaders conducted a “deliberate assessment” of potential allies for 2027 before settling on Peter Obi as “the most capable partner.” Speaking on Arise TV on Monday, Kwankwaso stated that the group concluded Obi was “at the forefront of it,” which led them to accept working together.
The ex-governor, who defected from the NNPP to the NDC alongside Obi on May 3, dismissed suggestions of a hidden rivalry between his Kwankwasiyya camp and Obi’s team. He argued that friction between principals and deputies usually stems from “greed,” not structural issues.
Drawing on his own experience, Kwankwaso said he served eight years in Kano despite challenges with his then-deputy governor and the two managed to work amicably. “We were able to work for eight years amicably to the extent that I handed over to him,” he said, using it as proof that cooperation is possible.
Kwankwaso described the NDC’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South as “a step toward fairness, healing and national cohesion.” He framed the move as a correction to years where power had shifted away from the Southeast.
Grounding the alliance in history, he recalled North-Southeast partnerships under Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa and President Shehu Shagari with Alex Ekwueme as vice president. He said the current ticket continues that tradition, noting it was not about geography alone but about recognizing Obi’s position.
The Kwankwaso-Obi alliance is now drawing defections to the NDC, pairing northern grassroots strength with Obi’s youth-driven base ahead of the 2027 elections.
