I Will Gladly Serve As Obi’s Running Mate, Says Kwankwaso

Former Kano State governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has declared his readiness to serve as running mate to former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, in the 2027 presidential election.

Kwankwaso made the declaration during an interview on Arise Television PrimeTime on Monday night.

LEADERSHIP reports that Obi is expected to secure the presidential ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after the party, recently joined by both politicians and their supporters, zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria.

During the interview, Kwankwaso stressed that Nigeria urgently needs credible leadership capable of addressing insecurity, economic hardship and poor governance.

According to him, “What is key now is not presidency from the North or from the South. What is key is to have quality leadership — people who are determined and committed to give the country the leadership it deserves.”

He stated that leaders within the coalition agreed that the South should complete another term before power returns to the North, noting that such an arrangement would help stabilise the political atmosphere and strengthen opposition unity ahead of the 2027 elections.

The former senator and minister also hinted that Obi is emerging as the leading figure within the coalition following the southern zoning arrangement.

When asked whether he would accept to serve as Obi’s running mate should the former Labour Party presidential candidate emerge as the party’s flag bearer, Kwankwaso replied:

“Yes, you can be sure. If the party decides that I should be the running mate of any candidate from the South, under the circumstances, I would be happy to work together with him.”

Kwankwaso, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), further described Obi as one of the few politicians capable of providing the kind of leadership Nigeria currently requires.

“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,” he said.

The former Kano governor added that many Nigerians, particularly young people, are no longer interested in ethnic or religious sentiments but are instead seeking competent and result-oriented leadership.

According to him, worsening insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment and infrastructural decay have pushed citizens to demand genuine political change.

“Young people are looking for the right leadership for this country, and I think they are absolutely right,” he added.

Kwankwaso dismissed suggestions that an Obi-Kwankwaso alliance could weaken opposition support in Northern Nigeria, insisting that Nigerians are more concerned about the country’s worsening condition than regional politics.

He disclosed that the Obedient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya Movement had already been collaborating across the country even before formal coalition talks intensified.

The former governor also criticised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing many governors and political office holders of being disconnected from the realities confronting ordinary Nigerians.

He argued that the 2027 election would go beyond party structures and financial strength, adding that the outcome would largely reflect the frustration of citizens battling hardship across the country.