The Vice-Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has described his joint ticket with Peter Obi as the strongest option ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Kwankwaso made the claim while speaking during the News Agency of Nigeria Personality Interview Series in Abuja on Sunday.
According to the former Kano State governor, the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket possesses the credibility, experience and national appeal required to defeat other contenders in the presidential race. He said the partnership was deliberately designed to create a politically balanced platform capable of bridging Nigeria’s regional and religious divisions.
“Nobody, no ticket, can beat our own in terms of credibility, capacity and, of course, love for the country,” Kwankwaso said.
He added that the alliance also stood out because of what he described as the empathy both leaders have for Nigerians struggling with economic hardship.
“Even in terms of empathy for the poor who are suffering across the country today, no other contender can match us,” he said.
Kwankwaso explained that Obi’s political strength in southern Nigeria, combined with his influence in the North, could give the alliance a wider national reach. The former governor said his experience during the 2023 presidential election also gave him a better understanding of Obi and strengthened his belief that both politicians could successfully work together.
He argued that Nigeria required a change in leadership, citing insecurity, poverty, deteriorating infrastructure and difficulties confronting farmers as evidence of the challenges facing the country. Kwankwaso also criticised the impact of the removal of the fuel subsidy, saying the policy had not translated into improved living conditions for many Nigerians.
According to him, farmers are equally under pressure as a result of competition from cheaper imported food products. The NDC vice-presidential candidate said the alliance involving the Kwankwasiyya Movement, the NDC and supporters of Obi was intended to produce a political transformation similar to the change witnessed during the 2015 general election.
He said the partnership was founded on principles of fairness, justice and equity, with both leaders committed to improving the welfare of Nigerians. Kwankwaso further explained that his decision to accept the vice-presidential slot was driven by national interest rather than the prestige attached to occupying the country’s second-highest political office.
He stressed that his participation in the alliance should therefore be understood within the broader objective of contributing to national development and achieving what he described as meaningful democratic change. With the 2027 election approaching, Kwankwaso said the partnership with Obi provides an opportunity to unite different political constituencies around a common national agenda.
