Former NNPP presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso has defended his alliance with Peter Obi as a strategic return to historical North-South East cooperation driven by the integrity of the candidate and the demands of a new, politically conscious generation.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, the former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), has explained that his alliance with former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi is a strategic return to the collaborative politics of Nigeria’s First and Second Republics. Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, the former Kano State governor noted that northern leadership is revisiting the inclusive approach of figures like Tafawa Balewa, Ahmadu Bello, and Shehu Shagari in partnering with the South East. Kwankwaso highlighted his own professional history in the legislature as a foundation for this cooperation, stating, “From my experience as former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, I had the opportunity to work with my Speaker, and we worked very well.” He framed the current partnership as a deliberate move toward national stability, adding, “Now we’re going back to what Tafawa Balewa and Ahmadu Bello did during their time, and in the Second Republic, what Shehu Shagari and others did with the leadership of the South East.”
The former governor emphasized that the choice of Peter Obi was based on a rigorous search for a capable and honest leader who could work alongside northern stakeholders. Kwankwaso revealed that his team sought a partner who could transcend traditional political barriers to move the country forward. “But for me, it wasn’t just because we are going to the South East. No, I looked around together with our leadership in the North to ask who we think is capable, who can come and work honestly with us so that we can move this country forward,” he explained. Identifying Obi as the standout candidate for this vision, he concluded, “And along the line, we realized that Peter Obi is at the forefront of it, and that’s why we all accepted to work together.”
Beyond historical precedents, Kwankwaso pointed to the growing influence of social media and younger Nigerians—including members of his own family—as a major catalyst for the alliance. He admitted that even during the last election cycle, the call for unity came from within his home, noting, “Even in the 2023 election, in my own house, my own daughter was telling me to go and work with Peter Obi.” Criticizing established political leaders for being out of touch with the current demographic shift, he remarked, “You have leaders who hardly have any contact with the young men and women.” He argued that the youth are increasingly rejecting divisive identity politics in favor of competence, stating, “People are talking of religion. Some people are talking of ethnicity, but the younger people are looking for the right leadership for this country. And I think they are absolutely right.”
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