NIGERIA: Former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said that his growing political alliance with former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi is driven by a shared commitment to fixing Nigeria rather than ethnic or religious considerations ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kwankwaso, who spoke in an exclusive interview with Trust TV’s Politics, said both camps had discovered during discussions that they shared similar political goals centred on improving education, security, job opportunities and governance for Nigerians, especially young people. He said contrary to attempts by some political actors to frame the alliance around regional or religious sentiments, Nigerians were now more interested in competent leadership and solutions to economic hardship.
The former governor also dismissed allegations that his political moves were designed to help President Bola Ahmed Tinubu secure re-election in 2027, insisting that the newly formed Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) was focused on offering Nigerians an alternative platform.
Speaking on Kano politics, the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement described the split between him and Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf as a “big mistake” for the governor, saying political betrayal had never ended well for politicians in the state. He maintained that the Kwankwasiyya movement remained strong despite recent defections involving some key political figures and elected officials. According to him, the movement’s strength lies in its grassroots support rather than individual office holders, noting that it had survived previous political setbacks even when it lacked control of the Government House or federal power.
Kwankwaso also spoke on the return of some former political rivals, including Senator Kabiru Gaya and former APC governorship candidate Nasiru Gawuna, saying the movement remained open to people willing to accept its culture of loyalty and internal discipline. On speculations surrounding the 2027 Kano governorship ticket, he said consultations were ongoing and insisted that competence, rather than senatorial calculations, would determine who eventually emerges as the candidate of the NDC in the state.
Below are excerpts from the interview:
Your growing political relationship with Peter Obi has generated huge national interest because many Nigerians see it as potentially the strongest opposition alliance ahead of 2027. What exactly is the nature of this alliance?
In the last couple of weeks, we tried to understand what the Obidient Movement stands for politically and what they want for Nigeria. When we compared their movement with ours, we discovered that our goals are largely the same.
In summary, both sides want to make Nigeria a better place, especially for young men and women who need the attention of government. People are asking for basic things; quality education, job opportunities, security and other necessities.
We also agreed that experts from both sides should study our blueprints and compare them. That process has gone very far already. Based on our discussions so far, I believe we share one common objective: making Nigeria a better place for everyone.
Is the Obi-Kwankwaso a settled matter on the platform of the NDC in 2027?
Well, I believe so. From my discussions with the party leadership, I think that is the general mindset. Even before the party zoned its presidential ticket to the South, supporters of the Obidient Movement were already chanting “OK,” while our own supporters in the Kwankwasiyya movement were saying “KO.” But that issue has now been resolved and people are willing to make sacrifices.
The reality is that Nigerians are looking for a way out because the current situation in the country is not good enough. That is why many people are working voluntarily and independently to support this movement. We are happy about that because that is how politics should be.
Politics in this country should not be left in the hands of moneybags; people who exploit citizens for four years, take public resources and then use money to influence voters during elections. I believe Nigerians will come out strongly in the next election to defend both their interests and the interest of the country.
The National Chairman of the PRP recently alleged that you and Peter Obi demanded automatic presidential and vice-presidential tickets as a condition for joining the party. Did you seek guarantees before entering coalition talks?
When it became clear that the ADC was facing serious issues, not just myself and Obi, but many others within the party began considering alternative platforms. At that time, the PRP and the NDC came to mind, alongside a few other political parties as possible options.
After the Supreme Court judgment, we asked our lawyers to study the situation and advise us. Their advice was that we should seriously consider an alternative platform. That was when we began discussions with different parties.
Yes, we met with the PRP National Chairman. He is my friend and brother. The discussions were fruitful, but they were only preliminary talks. We informed him that we were also speaking with other political parties and that our committees would eventually review all the options before making recommendations.
At the end of the process, our committees advised that the NDC was the better platform for us. I personally called him to thank him for receiving us and listening to our position. There was never a stage where we demanded tickets or conditions. We were not even at that point in the discussions.
There is a growing perception in parts of the opposition that despite your public criticisms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, you may still be working behind the scenes in ways that could benefit the President politically ahead of 2027. How do you respond to that allegation?
In this country, many people make all sorts of claims and insinuations in politics. If what we are doing in the NDC today is somehow being interpreted as supporting Bola Tinubu, then so be it. But the reality on the ground is different. The NDC is currently one of the fastest-growing political parties in the country. Within a few weeks, millions of Nigerians have shown interest in the movement. We are preparing for our convention at the end of the month, where the party will take major decisions, including the emergence of candidates.
So, allegations will always exist in politics. But I believe Nigerians are serious-minded people. They know those who are committed and focused. We remain determined in what we are doing, and people are free to judge us by our actions.
There have been reports dating back to early 2026 that part of the opposition coalition discussions involving you, Peter Obi and former President Olusegun Obasanjo was aimed at building a new political platform capable of stopping both the APC and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Looking at your eventual movement into the NDC alongside Obi, some analysts believe that original strategy is still unfolding. Is that the case?
Many people like to speculate and make all sorts of claims in politics. But for me, I have always been very clear about my political journey and my intentions.
When I contested in 2023, I was fully committed to winning the election. I did not enter the race to reduce anybody’s votes or to stop another candidate. Anybody who says so is simply underrating us and misunderstanding what we stand for politically.
