2027: Obi, Kwankwaso Set To Dump ADC For NDC Ahead of Party Primaries
Former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso and ex-presidential candidate, Peter Obi
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, have reportedly reached a political alliance ahead of the African Democratic Congress presidential primary.
Under the arrangement, which has yet to be officially announced, Kwankwaso is expected to run as Obi’s vice-presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Party sources told Leadership Weekend that the deal was sealed in Abuja after weeks of back-channel negotiations coordinated by senior ADC stakeholders seeking a broad-based ticket.
The Obi-Kwankwaso alliance is expected to challenge other ADC presidential aspirants, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
The development has already generated excitement online, with supporters describing the alliance as the “OK Movement,” meaning Obi-Kwankwaso Movement or Obidient-Kwankwasiyya Movement.
Party insiders said the pairing was designed to merge Obi’s support base in the South-East and South-South with Kwankwaso’s Kwankwasiyya movement in the North-West.
According to them, the alliance is aimed at strengthening the ADC’s electoral map ahead of 2027.
*Atiku Camp Welcomes Contest*
Reacting to the development, a senior aide in Atiku’s camp described the alliance as expected, but insisted that the former vice president remained the most experienced and marketable candidate in the ADC race.
The aide, who asked not to be named, said, “We welcome competition. Atiku has nationwide structures and the goodwill to win. This is democracy; we are not losing sleep over any alliance.”
Allies of Amaechi also dismissed the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket as a “marriage of convenience,” saying it would not change the dynamics of the primary.
An Amaechi loyalist said, “Politics is about numbers and structures, not headlines. Amaechi is consulting widely and will present himself when the time comes. Let them forge alliances; we are building a coalition that can win in 2027.”
*Kwankwasiyya Supporters Hail Move*
In Kano, supporters of the Kwankwasiyya movement hailed the reported deal, saying Kwankwaso’s decision to accept the vice-presidential slot showed political maturity.
A Kwankwasiyya coordinator in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano, Sani Bello, said, “Kwankwaso is a strategist. If stepping down helps us win, so be it. What matters is rescuing Nigeria.”
Kwankwaso’s reported decision marks a shift from his position before the 2023 election, when he dismissed the idea of running as Obi’s deputy, arguing that he had a stronger political profile than the former Anambra governor.
