Former presidential candidate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso says he is ready to back Peter Obi or whoever emerges as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate for 2027.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time, Kwankwaso said the party had agreed to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria for a single four-year term before returning it to the North. The decision, he said, followed consultations with party leaders and stakeholders nationwide.
“If the party decides that I will be anybody’s running mate from the South, I am ready,” Kwankwaso affirmed.
He said the zoning arrangement was accepted by many northern politicians in the party as a way to ease tensions over power rotation after the controversy that followed the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
“What is key now is not the Presidency from the North or South, but rather to have quality leadership, people who are enthusiastic, determined and committed to give the country the leadership it deserves,” he said.
Kwankwaso contested the 2023 presidential election under the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)and finished fourth with over 1.4 million votes, winning Kano State. Obi ran under the Labour Party and came third with over 6.1 million votes, winning Lagos, the FCT, and much of the South East and South. Both men have since aligned with the opposition coalition in the NDC ahead of 2027.
The Kwankwasiyya movement, Kwankwaso’s political structure, has strong grassroots support in Kano and parts of the North West. The Obidient movement, which emerged around Obi’s 2023 campaign, draws heavily from young urban voters and the South East. Kwankwaso said the two groups “share similar ideals and could work effectively together.”
Kwankwaso disclosed that he and Obi had already discussed strategies to tackle insecurity, especially in the North. He also hinted at a possible future alliance with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying, “We might still work together before election days. We had to leave because of issues that are very detrimental. So, we are not fighting anybody.”
Atiku was the PDP presidential candidate in 2023 and has also been linked to the NDC coalition.
The former Kano governor argued that young Nigerians would drive the 2027 election, saying the time had come for a new direction. He criticized state governors, claiming many were relying on President Bola Tinubu for political survival ahead of 2027.
“Things have changed. Northerners no longer want rice or chicken like the other party does,” he said, suggesting voters are now more focused on governance and security than short-term handouts.
The NDC is one of several platforms being positioned as an alternative to the APC and PDP ahead of 2027, with power rotation and youth engagement emerging as central themes in the coalition’s messaging.