Former national chair of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has dismissed the prospects of a presidential ticket pairing Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso in the 2027 election, arguing that both men lack the governance credentials and political legacy needed to convince Nigerians they can lead the country.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Ganduje said a ticket comprising Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and his running mate, Kwankwaso, would fail to secure meaningful support in Kano State, one of Nigeria’s most politically significant voting blocs.
“I don’t think Peter Obi and Kwankwaso’s ticket will succeed in Kano. It will not succeed. In fact, it is dead on arrival,” he said.
Ganduje questioned Obi’s record during his eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra State, arguing that the former governor had not demonstrated the leadership qualities required to govern Africa’s most populous nation.
“Peter Obi was a governor in Anambra State. What did he do as a governor? What legacy did he leave as a governor?
“And from that, what other responsibility in governance did he hold where he made a mark to the extent that we believe he will be able to manage this country effectively and efficiently?” Ganduje asked.
He also challenged Kwankwaso’s political record, contrasting it with those of other former Kano governors who served two consecutive terms in office.
“Kwankwaso too, he was a governor of Kano State. He was not able to be a governor back-to-back.
“So far, the two other governors in Kano were able to win elections back-to-back. Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau was able to spend eight years straight. Myself, I was able to spend eight years straight.
“But he was not able, after the first term, to return until after eight years,” he said.
Ganduje argued that Kwankwaso had not established a political legacy strong enough to persuade voters in Kano or elsewhere in Nigeria that he was suited for national office.
“So I don’t think, even in Kano, what legacy specifically can you say that he has left in Kano that will convince the people of Kano and the people of Nigeria that he will be a successful vice-president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?
“I think that, as I earlier said, it is dead on arrival,” he said.
The remarks add to the increasingly heated political exchanges ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with leading figures in the ruling APC and opposition parties stepping up efforts to shape public perceptions of potential alliances months before campaigning formally begins.
