The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has explained that his decision to nominate former Kano State governor and Kwankwasiyya Movement leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election was based on a shared commitment to tackling poverty through education and economic transformation.

Speaking in an interview with The Sun published on Sunday, Obi said the partnership was founded on common values and a collective vision to rebuild Nigeria, insisting that both leaders were focused on delivering transformational governance rather than pursuing political convenience.

According to the former Anambra State governor, Kwankwaso’s long-standing emphasis on education and human capital development closely aligns with his own agenda for national renewal.

“Kwankwaso has the philosophy of pulling people out of poverty.

“I have the same philosophy. Kwankwaso believes in education. You cannot change society without education.

“If you look at my X, formerly Twitter, I made it clear that I will emphasise education. Education is going to change society.

“Nigeria must be seen to form its innermost human capital, which we need to develop. Kwankwaso believes in this. I do. We have synergy,” Obi said.

Obi also dismissed speculation that disagreements existed between him and his running mate, maintaining that reports of internal cracks within the NDC ticket were unfounded.

“I don’t know why people talk about differences between people who are working together. Have you ever seen us quarrelling?

“You see, people quarrel even in offices because of transactional governance. The country is in a mess because of transactional governance. I am not into transactional government. I am into transformational governance.

“We want to change the society and make it better. We want to pull people out of poverty, not the other way around,” he said.

The former Labour Party presidential candidate and Kwankwaso, who flew the flag of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 presidential election, both joined forces under the NDC after initially participating in a broader opposition coalition that included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Their eventual move to the NDC followed internal disputes and legal challenges within the ADC, leading the two politicians to establish a fresh political platform ahead of the 2027 elections.

Responding to questions on why an alliance between him and Kwankwaso did not materialise before the 2023 presidential election, Obi said his attention remained fixed on Nigeria’s future rather than revisiting past political decisions.

“Those who think about yesterday and today will miss tomorrow. The past is gone. We are talking about the present,” he said.

Obi also rejected concerns that integrating supporters of the Obidient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya Movement could create internal divisions, insisting that both groups were united by a common desire to transform the country.

“We do not just have large followers alone. People are gravitating to what is right. How are we going to manage them? We have no problem whatsoever. We want to change the society. Our followers want a changed and better society,” he added.

Obi and Kwankwaso finished third and fourth respectively in the 2023 presidential election behind President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Their alliance under the NDC is expected to be one of the major political blocs challenging for power in the 2027 general election. (The Sun)

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