The All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised Rabiu Kwankwaso over his reported appeal to Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and support the opposition ticket.

The APC’s reaction came after Kwankwaso reportedly argued that Atiku should step aside, citing his age and health, while assuring that the former vice-president would be taken care of if the opposition ticket wins the presidency.

APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka described the proposal as an attempt to negotiate over the presidency before Nigerian voters have decided who should occupy the office in 2027.

What Happened

The political disagreement followed an appeal by Kwankwaso to Atiku to abandon his presidential ambition and back the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket in the next election.

According to the report, Kwankwaso referred to Atiku’s age and health while making the case for his withdrawal. He also said the former vice-president would be taken care of if the opposition ultimately secured victory.

The remarks subsequently drew a response from the APC, with Morka questioning the basis for negotiating over the presidency before the electorate has cast its votes.

Morka reacted in a post on 𝕏, portraying the proposal as evidence of what he described as contradictions within the opposition camp.

Rather than treating the APC’s characterisation as an established fact, the response is presented here as Morka’s political assessment of the situation.

The Main Political Positions

Kwankwaso’s reported position is that Atiku should withdraw from the presidential contest and support the opposition ticket, with assurances regarding Atiku’s welfare if the ticket succeeds.

The APC, through Morka, takes the opposing view. The party’s spokesman questioned why political actors would be negotiating over control of the presidency before Nigerians determine the outcome of the 2027 election.

The supplied report does not include a response from Atiku to Kwankwaso’s appeal. It also does not provide a separate response from other members of the opposition to Morka’s criticism.

What Morka Said

Morka’s response focused heavily on the idea that the opposition was already bargaining over an office that would ultimately be decided by Nigerian voters.

In his post, he referred to Kwankwaso’s appeal to Atiku and described the development as “horse trading with the presidency.”

He also accused the opposition of presenting itself differently from what he alleged were its internal political practices, using strong language to characterise what he viewed as hypocrisy within the opposition camp.

Morka concluded that the opposition would not obtain the presidency merely through such negotiations, arguing that the final decision would rest with the Nigerian electorate in 2027.

The comments therefore turned Kwankwaso’s appeal into a broader political argument about who has the authority to determine the direction of the presidential contest.

The 2027 Context

The exchange comes against the backdrop of preparations and political positioning ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Atiku and Kwankwaso are central figures in the political discussion referenced in the report, while the proposed opposition arrangement places questions about candidacy, support and electoral alliances at the centre of the latest disagreement.

Kwankwaso’s appeal, as reported, is therefore not simply about one candidate stepping aside. It also touches on the broader question of how opposition figures could position themselves before the presidential contest.

For the APC, however, Morka’s response shifts the focus towards the legitimacy of negotiating over the presidency before voters have made their choice.

Where the Matter Stands

At the point covered by the report, the development remains a political exchange between Kwankwaso’s reported appeal and the APC’s subsequent criticism.

No outcome regarding Atiku’s presidential ambition is established in the supplied material, and there is no indication that he has accepted Kwankwaso’s appeal.

The immediate significance of the development therefore lies in the competing political positions now surrounding the reported proposal rather than in any confirmed change to the 2027 presidential contest.

Questions Readers May Have

What did Kwankwaso ask Atiku to do?

Kwankwaso reportedly appealed to Atiku to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and support the opposition ticket.

Why did the APC criticise Kwankwaso?

APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka questioned the idea of negotiating over the presidency before Nigerians decide who should occupy the office in 2027.

What did Morka call the proposal?

Morka described the development as “horse trading with the presidency.”

Has Atiku responded to Kwankwaso’s appeal?

The supplied report does not contain a response from Atiku.

Why the Exchange Matters

The dispute highlights one of the political questions likely to remain prominent as the 2027 election approaches: how opposition figures will balance individual presidential ambitions with efforts to build a competitive ticket.

Kwankwaso’s reported appeal and the APC’s response represent two different interpretations of the same development. While Kwankwaso’s position centres on securing support for the opposition ticket, the APC has used the episode to question the legitimacy and political meaning of such negotiations before the electorate has spoken.

With no final decision on the issue established in the supplied report, the exchange remains part of the wider political debate surrounding the 2027 presidential contest.