Kwankwaso Denies Working for Tinubu, Backs Obi for 2027 Presidency
Former Kano State governor and leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has dismissed allegations that he is secretly working for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kwankwaso made the clarification during an interview on Global TV on Wednesday night, insisting that his political camp is solely committed to the NDC and not aligned with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former minister of defence was reacting to claims by Sanusi Bature, spokesperson to Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who alleged that Kwankwaso had been indirectly supporting Tinubu since the 2023 elections.
Bature had also claimed that the former NNPP leader recently sought a direct meeting with the president, though the meeting allegedly did not take place.
Rejecting the allegations, Kwankwaso said only “foolish people” would believe such claims, stressing that his relationship with Tinubu is based on friendship and respect, not political alliance.
According to him, “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 further accused people around the president of shielding him from the realities facing Nigerians, saying many of the country’s current problems are being created by those close to the presidency.
He noted that the APC’s growing strength through the acquisition of governors may not necessarily translate into popular support among ordinary Nigerians.
Speaking on the emerging opposition coalition, Kwankwaso confirmed that he and former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, joined the NDC earlier this month and have begun consultations aimed at building a united political front ahead of 2027.
He explained that after consultations with party leaders across the six geo-political zones, the NDC resolved to zone its presidential ticket to the South and subsequently endorsed Obi as its preferred candidate.
“The party, in its own wisdom, decided to zone the presidential ticket to the south. We looked around across the zones and we realised that Peter Obi is the best candidate,” Kwankwaso stated.
On concerns about his political influence in northern Nigeria and his ability to mobilise support for Obi, Kwankwaso said the coalition still has enough time to reach Nigerians and counter misinformation before the election.
He expressed confidence that voters would eventually distinguish between “those telling lies” and politicians genuinely committed to national progress.
