The plan for Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate for president in 2023, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, to run together as president in 2027 has come a long way.
Our correspondent found out that Obi and Kwankwaso have both formed a committee to make the combined ticket under the African Democratic Congress a reality. This was reported by Sunday PUNCH.
A top leader of the ADC said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo first suggested the Obi-Kwankwaso partnership.
The party insider said that Obasanjo not only supported Obi’s move to the ADC, but he also requested the former governor of Anambra State to collaborate with Kwankwaso to get the party’s presidential and vice-presidential tickets.
Obasanjo openly campaigned for Obi in 2023 and got people all around the country to support him against the All Progressives Congress candidate, who is now President Bola Tinubu.
In an open letter dated January 1, 2023, the former president said, “None of the contestants is a saint, but when you compare their character, background, understanding, knowledge, discipline, and energy, as well as the great effort it takes to stay focused on the job—especially considering where the country is today—and with the experience I had on the job with Peter Obi as a mentee, he has an edge.”
Obasanjo chose Kwankwaso to be Minister of Defense during his second term, on the other hand.
The former president, on the other hand, has not hidden his dislike for the presidential ambitions of his former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku, Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation, are the three people running for president in the ADC right now. They are also trying to convince Kwankwaso to join the party.
Obi had committed to serve only one term if he was elected president before he left the ADC. After that, Kwankwaso said he was ready to run for vice president.
Kwankwaso hasn’t joined the ADC yet, but it was said that the partnership between him and Obi has begun and was started by Obasanjo.
One of our reporters spoke with a high-ranking ADC member who said that the former president had also been putting Obi in touch with certain powerful people in the north to make sure the coalition succeeds.
“We know about the alliance, but Kwankwaso isn’t in our party yet. Obi and Kwankwaso got together thanks to former President Obasanjo, who is also devoted to their partnership.
“The former president believes in Obi and has been talking to some northern leaders about how important it is for them to see reason in the alliance,” said the party official, who asked to remain anonymous.
One of the leaders of the Kwankwasiyya Movement also said that Obasanjo was involved in the proposed partnership and that he came up with the proposal.
“The ex-president is involved.” In fact, he brought up the concept, and we are glad to be on track, the source, who asked not to be named, told our reporter.
Obi and Kwankwaso created an alliance committee.
It was learned that both Obi and Kwankwaso had formed a committee to garner support for the planned combined ticket within the ADC.
A reliable source in Obi’s camp said that the committee was formed around a month ago and given the job of coming up with a plan for how to get the joint ticket.
“We’re not just talking anymore; we’ve moved on. “The alliance has formed a committee, and things are coming together,” the insider said.
Magaji Ibrahim, SAN, the National Legal Adviser of the New Nigeria Peoples Party and a leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, confirmed the move. He stated that the former governor was willing to work with Obi as either president or vice president.
Ibrahim, who stated he was on the committee, added that the potential alliance was already very close to being formed.
“There is still talk going on between Kwankwaso and Obi, and there is even a committee working on making the partnership happen. I am a member of the committee, which is made up of people from both sides.
“We are ready to work together for either the first or second position.” He went on to say, “The main goal is to save the country.”
Ibrahim added that the ADC had talked to the former Kano governor about Kwankwaso’s decision to join the party.
He said that the leaders of the ADC and the Kwankwasiyya Movement had been talking about the plot to leave.
“We’re talking to them (ADC leaders) right now. There is a plan to meet us, but we haven’t met yet, he said.
When asked if Kwankwaso would join the ADC if he didn’t get the presidential or vice presidential ticket, Ibrahim stated, “I don’t think we can think about anything less than the second position.”
It was not possible to get in touch with Kehinde Akinyemi, the former president’s media aide, because he did not answer calls or texts.
But a source in Obasanjo’s camp told our reporter that the former president was working to make sure that the Obi–Kwankwaso coalition worked out.
When questioned for more information about the supposed collaboration, the source refused to say anything.
ADC doesn’t know about the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance
The ADC, on the other hand, stated it didn’t know of any alliance between Obi and Kwankwaso, even though it said that such talks were not rare.
Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s spokesperson, told our reporter that the party would be happy to accept Kwankwaso as a member because he is a strong political leader.
“Kwankwaso hasn’t joined the ADC yet, but we would love to have him with us.” Obi is a great politician and a valuable member of the party. “But whatever talks they are having are not with the party,” he continued.
Atiku is not worried by the coalition between Obi and Kwankwaso.
Paul Ibe, a spokesperson for Atiku, stated that the former vice president was not worried about the prospective partnership.
Ibe rejected claims that the event could hurt Atiku’s political status, saying that the former Vice President was still focused on his own political career.
“There is no threat at all; there can’t be a threat. Kwankwaso is welcome in the ADC because the party is open to nationalists who think Nigeria is in danger and needs to be saved. That can’t be a threat to Atiku.
He says that Atiku understands that political actors have the right to make their own decisions and form alliances without considering them as rivals.
“Everyone is free to choose their own political path.” Atiku is alone and doing what he needs to do, and everyone else is free to do what they need to do.
“Anyone who threatens Atiku in any way will not be able to do so. He does not feel threatened and will not feel threatened by anyone. He wants Nigeria to be better, and the party is opening its doors to men and women who recognize that we are at a period in history where we are confronting an existential threat.
Ibe remarked, “For Atiku, the more the merrier, and that should be the main point of every party discussion.”
Obidients are happy about the alliance between Obi and Kwankwaso.
Yinusa Tanko, the Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, a group of Obi’s supporters, said he was open to the partnership move, though.
He called it a potentially strong coalition before the national elections in 2027.
Tanko also said that the partnership between Obi and Kwankwaso has been talked about for a while and might become a powerful political force if used correctly.
“There have been a lot of talks before this.” He remarked, “A good working relationship between the Obidient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya Movement will be a very strong combination.”
Obi’s camp wants zoning
Supporters of the former governor of Anambra State, on the other hand, are stepping up their efforts for the party’s presidential ticket to be given to the South.
An ADC leader and Obi supporter who asked to remain anonymous for fear of being targeted told our correspondent that zoning the ticket to the South was the quickest and most reliable way to beat President Tinubu.
The insider said that Obi has a lot of support all around the country and that limiting the ticket to the South would make the coalition even stronger.
He stated, “The party’s leaders are starting to understand that if they want to get rid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is from the South, zoning the ticket to the South will let southern presidential candidates from the ADC run, and one of them will win.” When it happens, it will be very easy; in fact, it will be the best strategy to beat Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. Anything less than that will hurt the coalition group.
We think the ticket should be zoned to the South, but we don’t want to fight anyone about it. We are going to talk to a lot of people and, of course, do everything we can to make sure that everyone involved in this movement understands why it should travel to the South. “We have trustworthy people.”
But the party’s leaders, such as Kingsley Ogga, the Chairman of the ADC Chairmen’s Forum and Kogi State Chairman; Kennedy Odion, the Forum’s Secretary and Edo State Chairman; and Arabi Mustapha, the Adamawa State Chairman, all told Sunday PUNCH in separate interviews that any candidate pushing for zoning to the South was doing so on purpose to weaken the coalition in favor of Tinubu.
Ogga told Obi’s followers to put the party’s needs ahead of their own, saying that anyone who wants zoning doesn’t have the party’s best interests at heart.
The Adamawa State Chairman said that anyone who supports a certain zone or candidate is not thinking clearly.
He said, “My answer to them is simple: they are short-sighted.” Let them think a lot. Nigeria is made up of two parts: the North and the South. It’s not what Nigeria actually needs right now to have someone from the South pushing for Peter Obi or someone from the North supporting Atiku Abubakar.
“Nigeria needs someone who will stand up for the country and save it from where it is.” We don’t have what we call a government right now; we only have people in charge who act like dictators.
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