The Labour Party expressed its support on Sunday for the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, who has offered to be a running mate to LP’s Peter Obi in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.
In a recent widely shared post, Kwankwaso conveyed his willingness to serve as Obi’s deputy, just two years after discussions between their parties had stalled.
Reports indicate that the LP and NNPP had previously considered a merger before the 2023 elections, but the failure of either Obi or Kwankwaso to concede leadership resulted in the initiative falling apart.
Kwankwaso, the former governor of Kano State, expressed his readiness in a video shared on his official account, stating that he would consider the offer if “certain conditions are met.”
He emphasized his political stature by saying, “I’m bigger than Peter Obi politically; I’m his elder brother, I hold a PhD, and I performed better than him during my time as governor. I have no issues with being his deputy, but only if certain conditions are met.”
He also noted the possibility of meaningful discussions with Obi, saying, “We are willing to engage in discussions, provided that trust is established.”
In the last election, Peter Obi of the Labour Party secured approximately 6,101,533 votes, placing third, while Kwankwaso received 1,496,687 votes, finishing a distant fourth. Kwankwaso has been a vocal critic of the Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government, denouncing its economic policies that have caused hardship for many Nigerians.
In an exclusive interview, Umar Farouk, the National Secretary of the LP, welcomed Kwankwaso’s renewed interest in collaboration but urged him not to undermine merger talks with claims of being a superior politician due to his academic qualifications.
He stated, “As a political party, we advocate for good governance and have empowered all our candidates, both past and present, to associate with like-minded individuals who share the Labour Party’s philosophy and ideology.
We are pleased that Kwankwaso has come down from his high horse and is willing to support Obi as his deputy, having recognized that he only received less than two million votes despite his supposed popularity in the North.
He should refrain from asserting his superiority based on his PhD—what did he accomplish as Minister of Defence? Politicians must consider the political landscape to understand the electorate’s sentiment at any given time.”
Farouk acknowledged that the political climate in 2027 would differ from 2023 and asserted that it would benefit Nigerians if Obi and Kwankwaso could unite to challenge the APC government. However, he noted that the current administration would not passively allow this collaboration to succeed.
Meanwhile, despite opposition criticisms of President Bola Tinubu’s reform policies, Alhaji Ado Garba (Tati), a legislative aide to the Deputy President of the Senate, expressed confidence that Tinubu would win the presidential seat again with a significant majority in 2027.
During discussions with journalists in Kano on Sunday, Tati expressed optimism that the people of Kano would strongly support Tinubu and the APC in the upcoming elections, attributing this to the goodwill generated by Deputy President Barau Jibrin, which the state’s residents have been experiencing.
He outlined several initiatives from Senator Barau, including women and youth empowerment programs, scholarship schemes, road projects, and agricultural support, stating, “All these programs have positively impacted the lives of the people of Kano North and the broader Kano State community.”
Tati highlighted that Barau’s initiatives have attracted more members to the APC, with thousands of NNPP supporters defecting to the ruling party, despite the Kano State Government being controlled by the NNPP.
He emphasized that Barau’s development efforts, combined with Tinubu’s practical and patriotic reform policies, would lead to widespread support for Tinubu in the 2024 elections.
 presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, who has offered to be a running mate to LP’s Peter Obi in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.){kind=link}