The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 elections, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has denied allegations that he is working to support the re-election of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kwankwaso made the clarification during an interview on Global TV, describing the claims as false and misleading.
The allegations followed comments by Sanusi Bature, spokesperson to Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who suggested in a media interview that Kwankwaso was indirectly backing Tinubu’s second-term bid.
Reacting, Kwankwaso said only “foolish people” would believe such claims, insisting he and his allies are not working for any other political bloc.
He, however, acknowledged a longstanding personal relationship with President Tinubu, stressing that friendship does not translate into political alignment.
“Bola Tinubu has been my senior brother and good friend up till now,” he said, “but that doesn’t mean we shall pull all our political ideologies together with him.”
Kwankwaso also criticised the current administration, alleging that the President may not be fully aware of national conditions due to the influence of those around him.
He further stated that political manoeuvring within the ruling party suggests efforts focused on securing governors rather than addressing governance challenges.
On opposition realignment, Kwankwaso confirmed discussions within a coalition he referred to as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), noting that the group had adopted former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi as its preferred southern candidate for the 2027 election.
He said the decision was reached after consultations across geopolitical zones, with the coalition concluding that Obi best fit its assessment of leadership options in the south.
Kwankwaso added that the coalition still has sufficient time to mobilise support nationwide ahead of the election cycle.
“We are trying to convince the people… and I am happy to say that we are very lucky because from now till January 16, 2027, we have about eight months,” he said.
The remarks come amid growing political repositioning and alliance-building ahead of the 2027 general elections.
