Reports suggest that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is actively coordinating efforts to unite former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso on a single ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to Daily Trust, Obasanjo believes that a joint ticket featuring the duo would significantly improve their chances of defeating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the general election.
Obi and Kwankwaso are expected to contest for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket, challenging former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as part of broader initiatives to consolidate opposition forces.
Multiple sources told the publication that Obasanjo has tentatively persuaded Kwankwaso to accept a vice-presidential role alongside Obi.
“One of the first steps is to secure the ADC presidential ticket by directly confronting Atiku during the party primaries,” a source explained.
“Kwankwaso visited Abeokuta last week to meet Baba Obasanjo, who advised him to join the ADC and accept the vice-presidential slot under Obi. This follows earlier counsel from General Ibrahim Babangida, who had also encouraged Kwankwaso to join the ADC, though IBB did not explicitly discuss the VP position.
“The thinking is that the current political momentum, both domestically and internationally, favours an Obi presidency. Baba Obasanjo remains a central promoter of Obi’s ambitions — even Atiku acknowledged in 2019 that it was Baba who recommended Obi as his vice-presidential candidate,” the source added.
The source further noted that Obi and Kwankwaso recognize the challenge of facing Atiku individually, given his entrenched support within the party. “Neither Obi nor Kwankwaso alone is likely to defeat Atiku in the primaries. But combining their influence increases their chances of winning the ADC ticket,” the source said.
Kwankwaso, through a close aide, confirmed that “high-level discussions with key political stakeholders” are ongoing.
“While our party has yet to formalize its strategy or reach full consensus, we are engaged with influential figures and political organizations across the spectrum. Our position will soon be made public. Nigeria urgently needs a break from the current environment of insecurity and systemic collapse,” the aide said.
The aide also responded to reports about a recent meeting involving Kwankwaso, Obasanjo, and Obi, noting that the former Kano governor neither confirmed nor denied the discussions. Sources, however, indicated that two strategic options are being pursued to ensure that an Obi-Kwankwaso ticket remains central to the 2027 race.
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