Former Kano State Governor, and former defence minister, and the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has defended the Nigerian Democratic Congress’ (NDC) decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, describing the move as necessary to restore political balance and eliminate confusion surrounding Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement.
“From our own end, we believe the best way to go now is to take it to the South so that we can eliminate the confusion. The confusion that emanated from the death of our brother, our friend, Umar Musa Yar’Adua. That actually introduced the confusion into the system,” he said.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, the former Kano state governor said northern members of the party accepted the decision in the interest of unity, stability, and strengthening the opposition ahead of the next general election.
“We looked at the situation on the ground in this country, and we decided to take some major decisions, including what you just mentioned, that is zoning the presidency to the south for four years, and of course, after that, the presidency will rotate to the north. We are very happy that we are loyal party members. Therefore, almost all of us joining from the North, we accepted,” he shared.
Kwankwaso also suggested that an Obi-led presidential ticket is now the most likely outcome following the NDC’s decision to zone the presidency to the South, and added that party members had accepted the zoning arrangement and were committed to respecting the party’s position.
“That is how it should be. But we are, like I told you, a party, loyal party members. Of course, party is supreme. When it took decision to do this zoning, we all accepted and we are working on it. Now, the likely chances are what you exactly said and I’m sure Nigerians will be happy about it.”
Addressing concerns from his northern supporters, Kwankwaso argued that many Nigerians are no longer focused on ethnicity, religion, or regional identity, but on competence and leadership capacity. According to him, worsening economic hardship, insecurity, and infrastructural decline have pushed citizens to prioritise leaders capable of delivering meaningful reforms.
“The issue now is that each and every individual in this country has one issue or the other to demand for change. Ranging from the economy to the issue of insecurity, especially in this part of the country, to the issue or issues that we have seen with infrastructural development, especially in this part of the country, and so on and so forth. And that is why you find so many people are not even thinking of he has to be from my religion, he has to be from my part of the country, he has to be tall, he has to be short. Because people are looking for vibrant people who are strong enough to do the job, especially based on recent experiences,” he stressed.
The former defense minister further claimed that the NDC has witnessed a surge in support since the arrival of key opposition figures, with many Nigerians already registering with the party and preparing to participate actively in the electoral process.
“That is why within a couple of weeks that we joined this party, you find so many people across the country who are pushing, who are coming around, who are registering with NDC, and we always add them at the same time to register with INEC because it’s only when you register with INEC that you can be in a position to bring in an effective and positive change,” he said.
Kwankwaso dismissed concerns that the NDC’s southern zoning arrangement could weaken the opposition in northern Nigeria, insisting that effective leadership matters more to Nigerians than regional considerations.
“Whatever you do, people will bring in some arguments for and against. And that is part of the democracy. For us, we stand by the fact that we need a very committed, solid, and of course, effective leadership. And that is exactly what this country needs now. And for me, it’s not a matter of North or South or any other places,” he stressed.
He added that it was the responsibility of party leaders to convince Nigerians that the alliance represents a genuine alternative to the current administration.
“It has to start from me and then it is our responsibility to go and sell those ideas to the people. Yes, people who are on other side or who are in the other parties will go and tell their own stories. And I’m happy we have enough time for everybody to go and tell his own stories. And probably that is why I am even here to convince the people, especially the young men and women and other nationalists that yes, there is need to have this solid and credible leadership that will come to stop all these evils that are happening, especially the issue of insecurity in Northern Nigeria and even in the South,” he stressed.
Speaking on the state of insecurity in Nigeria, Kwankwaso said the country’s military personnel are well-trained and capable of tackling security threats, but argued that a lack of political will from national leadership has continued to undermine efforts to restore peace and stability, particularly in northern Nigeria.
“I can tell you our soldiers, the military that we have in all the parts of this country are people who are well-trained locally and internationally. They are determined to do the right thing. I think, in my opinion, what is lacking is the political will,” he noted.
He further revealed that both he and Peter Obi have agreed to confront insecurity directly if given the opportunity to lead, promising to prioritise peace, stability, and national development across the country.
“And both of us, my humble self and Peter Obi, have agreed to tackle that issue head-on to ensure that there is peace and stability in this country,” he assured.
Indicating his willingness to serve as running mate to Obi, Kwankwaso said he would fully support any southern candidate selected by the NDC under the party’s zoning arrangement ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“I am by his side. If the party decides that I should be the running mate of any candidate from the south under these circumstances, I will be happy to work together with him,” he shared.
Responding to questions about his confidence in Obi despite both men contesting separately in the 2023 presidential election, Kwankwaso expressed strong belief in their potential partnership. He argued that together, they represent one of the strongest leadership combinations currently available in Nigerian politics.
“Personally, I cannot remember any better combination, no matter how much time you are given to find those who can beat us in terms of doing the right thing for this country. I am positive that we will have a very good working relationship,” he maintained.
Kwankwaso said the Kwankwasiyya and Obedient movements had already begun aligning naturally before party decisions, evolving from rivalry into a shared demand for political change in Nigeria.
“Even before we say a word, they are all working together. And of course, together they created what they call OK. Initially, before we were told of the zoning by the party, some from Obedient will say OK and some from Kwankwaso will say KO. But at the end of the day, they are working not only in this country, all over the world. So I don’t think we have any problem with that, but I can assure you our group is so disciplined, our group is such that you can’t hear any serious negative issue from their side. I believe Obedients are the same.”
Dismissing claims that his influence in Kano has been weakened or divided, Kwankwaso said only elections will reveal the true strength of his support base, adding that he bears no grudges against political rivals and maintains respect for those in the ADC.
“I have no issue with that and I think we have passed that level now. We are in NDC and for now, I know they are in ADC. I wish them well, but you see anybody who is talking about or asking a question ‘what did they plant here?’ is not patient. Let’s wait for the election and see whether our votes are split in Kano or not,” he said.
He explained that recent realignments within the opposition, including his departure from the ADC alongside others, were driven by structural challenges within the party rather than disputes with individuals such as Atiku.
“I personally and I think even Obi himself decided to leave ADC not because we are fighting with Atiku or anybody there. We decided to leave that party because we realized that there are some issues. As it stands now they have three major issues which we believe from our own side are very difficult to resolve and field candidates,” he explained.
Kwankwaso urged Nigerians to take advantage of what he described as a new political alternative, arguing that a lack of competition would only deepen voter apathy and weaken democracy.
“We are giving this alternative to Nigerians. And therefore, I urge them to register with INEC. I urge them to vote wisely and also do whatever they can to defend their votes to ensure that every vote in this country counts and give us an opportunity—give our party opportunity—to see what can be done. We are people with a reasonable amount of experience, and therefore, we will do our possibly best,” he urged.
Reaffirming his cordial relationship with Atiku, Kwankwaso insisted he holds no personal grievances against any politician.
“I am happy to say that I have no any grudge against him or any politician for that matter. I am doing what I think is necessary and, I mean, this is democracy,” he insisted.
He said there remains a strong possibility of future cooperation with Atiku and other opposition figures.
“There are big possibilities that we can work together.”
Kwankwaso added that his relationship with Obi does not conflict with his ties to Atiku, noting that all parties involved remain focused on political objectives rather than personal rivalry. He explained that the new opposition arrangement was built on shared agreement about internal party challenges and the need for a fresh platform.
“The little few times that I talked to Obi, I have not seen any bad blood between him and Atiku. Of course, these are people who are vying for a particular ticket; everybody will want to take it. But at the end of the day, I don’t think they are fighting. Peter did not tell me that he is an enemy to Atiku or anybody in that [party]. But we all agreed that there were issues there. We all agreed that we should take another platform,” Kwankwoso said.
Kwankwaso said the objective is to combine the ideas of Obi, his own vision, and the party’s agenda aimed at delivering solutions for Nigeria, expressing confidence that Nigerians will ultimately support their efforts.
“Now what we are doing now is to bring whatever Peter would want to do if he becomes President, plus my own and that of the party, and come up with something that we believe is good for Nigeria and Nigerians. And I believe that they will certainly support us,” he concluded.
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