Trending 
Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has explained his decision to join forces with Peter Obi ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, saying the partnership is driven by the need for competent, accountable and inclusive leadership.
Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), made the remarks in a message to Nigerians as the 2027 presidential campaign gets underway.
According to him, Nigeria has reached a “critical crossroads,” with citizens confronting rising food prices, unemployment, high operating costs for businesses and persistent insecurity.
Kwankwaso said the country possesses the human and material resources necessary to prosper but requires leadership with the competence, courage and commitment to put citizens’ interests first.
Explaining the Obi alliance, he said the partnership was not about region, religion or personal ambition, but about building a government focused on Nigeria and its people.
His latest comments build on earlier explanations for accepting the vice-presidential position. Kwankwaso previously said his interactions with Obi following the 2023 elections helped him understand the former Anambra governor better and convinced him that they could work together.
He has also expressed confidence that Obi would give him meaningful responsibilities in government rather than reducing the office of vice president to what he described as a “spare tyre.” Kwankwaso argued that his previous experience in government had shown him the importance of a productive working relationship between a chief executive and deputy.
The Obi-Kwankwaso alliance is politically significant because the two men contested separately in the 2023 presidential election. Their decision to combine forces in 2027 represents an attempt to bring together Obi’s political support base and Kwankwaso’s established grassroots machinery, particularly in northern Nigeria.
Kwankwaso is now urging Nigerians to move beyond divisive politics and judge candidates on competence, accountability and results.
With the 2027 campaign gathering momentum, the bigger question is whether an alliance between two former presidential rivals can translate their different political strengths into enough votes to challenge President Bola Tinubu.
Can the Obi-Kwankwaso partnership succeed in 2027 where their separate presidential campaigns could not in 2023?
