2027 Presidency: Why I chose Kwankwaso as running mate — Obi

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has explained that his decision to nominate former Kano State governor and Kwankwasiyya Movement leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election was based on a shared commitment to tackling poverty through education and economic transformation.

Speaking in an interview with The Sun published on Sunday, Obi said the partnership was founded on common values and a collective vision to rebuild Nigeria. He insisted both leaders were focused on delivering transformational governance rather than political convenience.

—“We have synergy”—

According to the former Anambra State governor, Kwankwaso’s long-standing emphasis on education and human capital development closely aligns with his own agenda for national renewal.

“Kwankwaso has the philosophy of pulling people out of poverty. I have the same philosophy. Kwankwaso believes in education. You cannot change society without education,” Obi said.

“If you look at my X, formerly Twitter, I made it clear that I will emphasise education. Education is going to change society. Nigeria must be seen to form its innermost human capital, which we need to develop. Kwankwaso believes in this. I do. We have synergy,” he added.

—Dismisses talks of rift—

Obi also dismissed speculation of disagreements between him and his running mate, saying reports of internal cracks within the NDC ticket were unfounded.

“I don’t know why people talk about differences between people who are working together. Have you ever seen us quarrelling? People quarrel even in offices because of transactional governance. The country is in a mess because of transactional governance. I am not into transactional government. I am into transformational governance. We want to change the society and make it better. We want to pull people out of poverty, not the other way around,” he said.

—From 2023 rivals to 2027 NDC ticket—

Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, and Kwankwaso, who flew the flag of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in 2023, both joined forces under the NDC.

The move came after they initially participated in a broader opposition coalition with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar under the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Their eventual shift to the NDC followed internal disputes and legal challenges within the ADC.

Obi said his focus was on the future, not the past: “Those who think about yesterday and today will miss tomorrow. The past is gone. We are talking about the present.”

He also rejected concerns that merging supporters of the Obidient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya Movement would cause divisions.

“We do not just have large followers alone. People are gravitating to what is right. How are we going to manage them? We have no problem whatsoever. We want to change the society. Our followers want a changed and better society,” he added.

—2023 Recap—

Obi and Kwankwaso finished third and fourth respectively in the 2023 presidential election behind President Bola Tinubu of the APC and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.

Their alliance under the NDC is expected to be one of the major political blocs challenging for power in the 2027 general election.

[Source: The Sun/News Express]