The move to field a joint presidential ticket by the 2023 Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi, and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, ahead of the 2027 general election has gained momentum, following behind-the-scenes efforts spearheaded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to a report by Sunday PUNCH, both politicians have constituted a joint committee to drive the emergence of a single ticket on the platform of the African Democratic Congress.
A senior official of the ADC disclosed that the alliance was initiated by Obasanjo, who reportedly encouraged Obi’s move to the party and advised him to work closely with Kwankwaso to secure the party’s presidential and vice-presidential slots.
According to the official, Obasanjo not only endorsed Obi’s defection to the ADC but also actively pushed for collaboration between the former Anambra State governor and Kwankwaso.
Obasanjo had openly supported Obi during the 2023 presidential election, mobilising backing for him nationwide against the All Progressives Congress candidate, who later emerged as President Bola Tinubu.
In an open letter dated January 1, 2023, the former president wrote, “None of the contestants is a saint, but when one compares their character, antecedents, understanding, knowledge, discipline and vitality they can bring to bear, and the great effort required to stay focused on the job—particularly looking at where the country is today—and with the experience on the job that I personally had, Peter Obi, as a mentee, has an edge.”
Kwankwaso also served under Obasanjo as Minister of Defence during the former president’s second term in office.
Meanwhile, Obasanjo has remained openly critical of the presidential ambition of his former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
Currently, Atiku, Obi and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, are seeking the ADC’s presidential ticket, while discussions are ongoing to bring Kwankwaso into the party.
Before leaving his former party, Obi had pledged to serve only one term if elected President, after which Kwankwaso indicated his willingness to run as vice-presidential candidate.
Although Kwankwaso has not officially joined the ADC, findings showed that the alliance process between him and Obi is already underway and was set in motion by Obasanjo.
A top party source told one of our correspondents that Obasanjo has also been facilitating meetings between Obi and key northern political figures to ensure the success of the arrangement.
“We’re aware of the alliance, though Kwankwaso is not in our party yet. Former President Obasanjo is the one who connected the two of them (Obi and Kwankwaso), and he is committed to their alliance.
“The former president believes in Obi and has been speaking with some northern leaders on the need for them to see reason in the alliance,” the party official said on condition of anonymity.
A leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement also confirmed Obasanjo’s role in the talks, describing the former president as the architect of the idea.
“The former President is involved. In fact, he mooted the idea, and we are happy to be on track,” the source said.
Alliance committee in place
Further checks showed that both Obi and Kwankwaso have jointly set up a committee tasked with mobilising support within the ADC for the proposed ticket.
A reliable source in Obi’s camp said the committee was constituted about a month ago and had been mandated to develop strategies for the alliance.
“We’re no longer at the talking stage; we have moved ahead. A committee has been set up for the alliance and things are taking shape,” the source said.
Confirming the development, the National Legal Adviser of the New Nigeria Peoples Party and a leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Magaji Ibrahim, SAN, said Kwankwaso was prepared to work with Obi in either capacity.
He added that the alliance had reached an advanced stage.
“There is ongoing discussion between Kwankwaso and Obi, and a committee is actually in place for the actualisation of the alliance. The committee is from both sides, and I am a member.
“We are ready to work together either for the first or second position. The central point is to salvage the nation,” Ibrahim stated.
On Kwankwaso’s possible defection to the ADC, Ibrahim said talks were ongoing between leaders of the party and the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
“We are discussing with them (ADC leaders) at the moment. There is a move to meet us, but we’re yet to meet,” he said.
Asked whether Kwankwaso would still join the ADC without securing either the presidential or vice-presidential ticket, Ibrahim replied, “I don’t think we can consider anything short of the second position.”
Efforts to reach Obasanjo’s media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages sent to him were not returned.
However, a source close to the former president confirmed that Obasanjo was working behind the scenes to ensure the Obi–Kwankwaso partnership materialised, though the source declined to provide further details.
ADC downplays alliance talk
Reacting to the reports, the ADC said it was not formally aware of any alliance between Obi and Kwankwaso, describing such engagements as normal political interactions.
The party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, said while Kwankwaso had not joined the ADC, the party remained open to receiving him.
“Kwankwaso is yet to join the ADC, but we are more than willing to have him with us. Obi is also a great politician and an asset to the party. However, whatever discussions they are having are outside the party,” he said.
Atiku unconcerned
Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, said the former Vice President was not bothered by the proposed alliance.
According to him, the development posed no threat to Atiku’s political ambitions.
“There is absolutely no threat; there cannot be any threat. Kwankwaso is welcome in the ADC because the party’s hands are open to patriots who feel Nigeria is facing an existential threat and that there is a need to redeem the country. That cannot be a threat to Atiku.”
He added that Atiku respected the rights of individuals to pursue political alliances.
“Everybody is at liberty to chart their political journey. Atiku is quietly on his own, doing what he has to do, and everyone is at liberty to do what they have to do.
“Atiku is not in any way threatened; he does not feel threatened and will not be threatened by the prospect of anybody. He desires a better Nigeria, and just like the party is opening its hands to welcome men and women who understand that we are at a point in history where we are facing an existential threat.
“For Atiku, the more the merrier, and that should be the focus of every discussion in the party,” Ibe said.
Obidient Movement reacts
The Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yinusa Tanko, welcomed the possibility of an Obi–Kwankwaso alliance, describing it as a potentially formidable force ahead of 2027.
He said discussions around such a partnership had been ongoing for some time.
“There have been a lot of talks before now. A good working relationship between the Obidient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya Movement will be a very strong combination,” he said.
Zoning debate emerges
Meanwhile, supporters of Obi within the ADC have intensified calls for the party’s presidential ticket to be zoned to the South.
An ADC chieftain backing Obi argued that zoning the ticket southward would be the most effective strategy to defeat President Tinubu.
“The leaders of the party are beginning to realise that if you want to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is from the South, zoning the ticket to the South will allow southern presidential aspirants within the fold of the ADC to contest, and one of them will emerge. When that happens, it will be quite easy; in fact, it is going to be the surest way to defeat Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. Anything short of that will be to the disadvantage of the coalition group.
“What we are advocating is that the ticket should be zoned to the South, but we are not going to fight anybody about this. We are going to consult widely and, of course, try as much as possible to make every member or stakeholder in this movement understand why it should go to the South. We have credible people,” the source said.
However, ADC leaders, including the Chairman of the ADC Chairmen’s Forum and Kogi State Chairman, Kingsley Ogga; the forum’s secretary and Edo State Chairman, Kennedy Odion; and the Adamawa State Chairman, Arabi Mustapha, cautioned against zoning.
Ogga warned that pushing for zoning could weaken the coalition and indirectly benefit Tinubu.
Mustapha also criticised the zoning argument, saying it was shortsighted.
“My response to them is simple: their thinking is myopic. Let them think far. Nigeria has two regions, the North and the South. So, putting a particular interest on someone, for example, a man from the South agitating for Peter Obi, or a man from the North saying Atiku Abubakar, is not what Nigeria really needs now.
“Nigeria needs someone who will stand on his feet to rescue the nation from where it is. Currently, we don’t have what we call government; we only have people in dictatorial positions of leadership,” he said.
(PUNCH)
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