Former Kano State Governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has declared that he can work seamlessly with Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election, insisting that both leaders share the same vision for ordinary Nigerians.
Speaking during an exclusive interview on Channels Television on Monday, May 11, 2026, monitored in Abuja by Headlineswave.ng reporter David King, Kwankwaso said there would be “no friction” between him and Obi if both leaders eventually contest together on a joint presidential ticket.
He revealed that he consulted widely before taking the decision to join forces with OBI and that even his daughter urged him to do so.
According to him, both politicians are united by their passion to improve the lives of poor Nigerians and address the country’s worsening challenges.
“I will work well with Peter Obi. There will be no friction. We will work together to tackle insecurity, education, and revive the economy. Obi and I have the same mindset for the poor,” Kwankwaso stated.
The former presidential candidate also explained why he and Obi dumped the ADC for the NDC, saying the decision had nothing to do with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Kwankwaso claimed the ADC was battling several internal and “intractable” issues that made it difficult for the coalition to continue within the party structure.
“We left ADC for NDC not because of Atiku, but because the party had many intractable issues,” he said.
The former Kano governor stressed that political cooperation between Northern Nigeria and the South-East has always produced stability and national progress, citing Nigeria’s First and Second Republics as examples.
He referenced the working relationship between Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and former President Nnamdi Azikiwe, as well as the alliance between former President Shehu Shagari and former Vice President Alex Ekwueme.
According to Kwankwaso, Nigerians are once again searching for credible leadership capable of rebuilding trust in government.
“People are looking for the right leadership, and me and Obi represent that,” he added.
Reacting to the growing dominance of the ruling APC, which currently controls more than 30 states, Kwankwaso argued that the 2027 election would not merely be a contest between political parties but a battle between “the establishment and Nigerians.”
He criticized politicians who rely on food distribution and poverty-driven campaigns to win support from citizens.
“They are distributing rice thinking that Northerners and others are so hungry that that’s all they want,” he said.
Kwankwaso, however, declined to comment extensively on his political relationship with Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, widely regarded as his political godson.
Despite ongoing political realignments in Kano, the former governor maintained that the Kwankwasiyya movement remains “strong and formidable” across the country.
He further expressed confidence that a joint presidential ticket involving himself and Peter Obi would be difficult for any political opponent to defeat in 2027.
“Our ticket can defeat anybody in 2027,” Kwankwaso declared.
