In the air once again in Nigeria is the political speculation on the potential coalition between Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and Peter Obi before the 2027 presidential poll. This is a step by the former governor of Kano State, Kwankwaso, who recently hinted at collaborating with Obi, who had attempted the presidency under the Labour Party (LP) for the 2023 election.
The former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and powered into the 2023 presidential election as a Labour Party candidate, but only narrowly failed, rather not even causing a significant tremor as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged under Bola Tinubu. Kwankwaso ran under the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and finished in a believable fourth place, behind Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, and Obi.
Many Nigerians have had questions and been debating whether the coming together of these two powerful political figures in this country will alter the status quo of the politics of this nation. Although Kwankwaso has not publicly announced that he wants to run as Peter Obi’s running mate, statements from the last address from Kwankwaso have got many wondering if this pairing may rewrite Nigeria’s politics.
In a two-hour interview, Kwankwaso answered all these and more questions on politics, including probably going into alliance with other parties such as the Labour Party. His take on the willingness to be part of Tinubu’s APC government was blunt: he will not, despite an offer made to him over a meeting in Paris.
Kwankwaso’s statements about Peter Obi and the Labour Party were not definitive but intriguing, nonetheless. He said he was willing to talk to Obi if certain conditions were fulfilled. “I have no problem, but bring the criteria [the reason why I will consider the offer,]” Kwankwaso said, meaning that he would need some important reasons to tie up with Obi.
And yet, I must say that the reaction from the Labour Party National Secretary, Umar Farouk, to this development, has formally welcomed Kwankwaso’s statements, and he says this collaboration can strengthen the opposition and bring about significant progress in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Of course, such optimism came with a stipulation. He pointed out that Kwankwaso and Obi would have to be humble and willing to accommodate each other if their alliance was to take off. “If the likes of Kwankwaso can put their ambitions aside, there’s no doubt that we can create a united front capable of challenging the ruling party,” he added.
Still, the APC seems to question whether a Kwankwaso-Obi alliance would work at all. In a statement to the press, Bala Ibrahim, the National Publicity Director of the APC said that such an alliance was just hot air. “Kwankwaso and Obi are two persons who are in each other’s pockets but don’t share trust,” he said.
“These two personalities have previously tried to team up without winning. They are too distracted by their respective aspirations to head the country, and neither is likely to back down from the other,” Ibrahim said. He added that unless both of them shared a common vision, it would continue to remain just a dream alliance with their political ambitions.
Political analysts comment on the unfolding drama; the challenges would lie in any such alliance. Kamilu Fagge, a political scientist and Bayero University in Kano said that even the idea of a Kwankwaso-Obi coalition was an interesting one but could not easily strike a chord in the political scenario until they do come together with a clear and unified strategy.
“Unless they can cohesively articulate a program at par with the country’s needs, their alliance is unlikely to gather momentum against a well-organized party like APC,” said Professor Fagge. He quoted how former President Muhammadu Buhari, who initially struggled for greater acceptability, could only bridge the gap through a southern leader as his running mate.
Summarise the debates regarding an alliance that may be formed by Kwankwaso and Obi when the opposition parties are doing everything in their power to consolidate their efforts against the leading APC. The Labour Party, after all the shocks it has received in the past, seems now willing to go ahead with alliances to enhance its representation within the national body of politics.
While there is still a long way to go before an official alliance is realized, the fact itself is stirring up talks about the future of Nigerian politics. Be that as it may, whether Kwankwaso and Obi can still put aside their differences remains to be seen. If they manage to line up their political objectives, then such an alliance would indeed be a game-changer for the country.
Approaching the election season in 2027, Nigeria is sure to watch keenly at these measures and whether they will pave the way for a changeable new political landscape. High stakes are involved with the impatient electorate waiting to see if this potential alliance might be enough at last to challenge the dominance of the APC and thereby usher in a new chapter in Nigerian politics.
Read About King Salman Health
To Read More: Global