Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has explained why he agreed to serve as Peter Obi’s running mate in the 2027 presidential election, saying the decision was driven by national interest, fairness and the need for political change.
Kwankwaso, who is the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, made this known during a News Agency of Nigeria interview in Abuja on Sunday while discussing his political plans and developments in Kano State.
He said his experience after the 2023 election gave him more time to understand Obi and convinced him that they could work together to pursue their shared political goals.
According to Kwankwaso, the alliance was also based on the belief that the South should retain the presidency for another term after former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years in office. He said the arrangement would then allow power to return to the North after one term.
The former governor said members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, supporters of the New Nigeria Peoples Party and members of the Obidient Movement were consulted before the decision was reached.
He said the groups agreed that a ticket combining the North and South could appeal to Nigerians across different regions and offer an alternative ahead of the 2027 election.
Kwankwaso also pointed to insecurity, hardship, declining agricultural output and poor infrastructure as reasons for his decision to support the proposed alliance. He said many farmers, particularly in Northern Nigeria, were struggling because insecurity had made farming more difficult.
He added that the condition of infrastructure across many parts of the country also showed the need for a change in leadership and better governance.
Kwankwaso said he did not regard the decision to become vice-president as a step backward despite his previous positions as deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, governor, minister and senator. He said public office should be seen mainly as an opportunity to serve rather than as a measure of personal status.
The former governor expressed confidence that Obi would respect the agreement between them and allow the vice-president to play an active role in government.
He said his political experience had taught him that a strong government required cooperation between the president and vice-president, as well as the appointment of capable people to key positions.
Kwankwaso also spoke strongly about his former political allies in Kano, including former governors Abdullahi Ganduje and Ibrahim Shekarau, as well as Governor Abba Yusuf.
He claimed that Ganduje had lost much of his political influence after breaking away from the political structure they built together. Kwankwaso said Ganduje could have maintained a stronger position in Kano had he remained within the political group.
Ganduje served as Kwankwaso’s deputy governor for eight years before succeeding him as governor in 2015. Their political relationship later broke down, leading to years of rivalry between the two men.
Kwankwaso also accused Governor Abba Yusuf of distancing himself from the political structure that helped him become governor.
He recalled that members of his political group worked to make Yusuf the party’s candidate in the 2019 governorship election and later supported his successful bid for the governorship in 2023.
Kwankwaso said Yusuf had since moved away from the political camp that supported his rise, although he had not fully aligned himself with Ganduje either.
The former governor also rejected claims that his previous discussions with the All Progressives Congress were based on his desire to secure either the presidential or vice-presidential ticket.
He said his conversations with President Bola Tinubu after the 2023 election were focused on political cooperation and not on securing a particular position.
Kwankwaso recalled that Tinubu had previously encouraged him to reconcile with Ganduje. He said he responded by pointing to several politicians who had once been close to the President but later lost their place within his political circle.
He mentioned former Lagos State Deputy Governor Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele and former Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode as examples of political relationships that had changed over time.
Kwankwaso said political alliances could change and that people who once worked closely together could eventually find themselves on different sides.
Despite the political disputes, he said he still maintained a cordial relationship with former Osun State Governor Bisi Akande.
Kwankwaso maintained that his decision to work with Obi was not driven by personal ambition but by what he described as a wider national interest. He said he was prepared to serve in any capacity where his contribution could benefit the country.
The former Kano governor also said he believed the proposed Obi-Kwankwaso ticket offered a combination of regional balance, experience and political support ahead of the 2027 presidential election.