2027: Why Atiku Should Step Down for Peter Obi — Kwankwaso

2027: Why Atiku Should Step Down for Peter Obi — Kwankwaso

Rabiu Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has explained his call for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to abandon his presidential ambition in favour of the party’s candidate, Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 general election.

Kwankwaso said his position was informed by his longstanding political relationship with Atiku and the need to make way for a new political arrangement ahead of the election.

He made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, where he recounted his political dealings with Atiku spanning more than three decades.

Asked whether he wanted Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, to step aside, Kwankwaso responded affirmatively.

“Well, yes,” he said.

The former Kano State governor disclosed that he recently used a courtesy visit by a group of Fulani people from across the country to encourage them to persuade Atiku to reconsider his presidential ambition.

He said he urged the delegation to meet with Atiku before returning to their respective communities and discuss the possibility of his stepping aside.

Kwankwaso, however, stressed that his appeal was not driven by personal animosity, describing Atiku as a longstanding political associate with whom he had worked extensively over the years.

“His Excellency Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is somebody that I know fairly well. And we have done so much together with him in the past. In fact, more than anybody who is around him today,” he said.

Kwankwaso recounts political ties with Atiku

Tracing their political relationship to 1993, Kwankwaso recalled that both men were part of the political movement led by the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.

According to him, the group supported Atiku’s bid to secure the presidential ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) during the period.

“I remember in 1993, he was in our group under the leadership of General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and he was our choice for the presidential candidate of the SDP,” he said.

Kwankwaso explained that after the effort failed, the group also sought to secure the party’s vice-presidential ticket under the same political leadership, but the initiative was unsuccessful.

He subsequently recalled their political engagements during the transition to civilian rule in 1999, when Olusegun Obasanjo emerged as the presidential candidate.

Kwankwaso said he was the governor-elect of Kano State at the time Obasanjo was selected at a political gathering in Jos, Plateau State, the same city where their political efforts had unfolded in 1993.

He added that he maintained close contact with Atiku, who became Obasanjo’s running mate and later vice-president.

The former governor also highlighted Atiku’s political role in 2003 and recalled that Kano contributed substantial support to his presidential bid in 2007.

“And also, in 2003, he played a lot of roles. And I think that’s a very long story, maybe one of these days we will have an opportunity to discuss it. So also in 2007, almost 90% of our votes from Kano were given to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,” Kwankwaso said.

He noted that their political paths had not always coincided, pointing out that Atiku contested under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2007, while he was not a member of the party.

Kwankwaso further recalled their collaboration in 2011 and their participation in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries ahead of the 2015 general election, which Muhammadu Buhari won.

He said Buhari ranked first in the contest, followed by him in second place and Atiku in third.

‘Everything has its time’

Kwankwaso maintained that his appeal for Atiku to step aside should not be interpreted as opposition to the former vice-president personally.

“What I’m trying to say is that we are not against him. The two sides, we’ve worked together with him so everything has time,” he said.

His remarks come amid political realignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with opposition figures weighing possible alliances and strategies to challenge the ruling APC.