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Obasanjo Drives High-Stakes Opposition Realignment as Obi–Kwankwaso Joint Ticket Emerges Ahead of 2027 Presidential Race

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A fresh report has indicated that former president Olusegun Obasanjo is spearheading behind-the-scenes efforts to bring former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso together on a joint presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.

 

The emerging strategy is anchored on the belief that a unified ticket pairing Obi and Kwankwaso would significantly strengthen the opposition’s chances of defeating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next presidential contest.

 

Within opposition circles, Obi and Kwankwaso are expected to square off against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the presidential ticket of the coalition-led African Democratic Congress (ADC), as renewed efforts intensify to forge a united front capable of challenging the ruling party.

 

Multiple political sources disclosed that Obasanjo has already made notable progress in these consultations, including tentatively persuading Kwankwaso to consider serving as Obi’s running mate on a joint ticket. The broader plan, according to insiders, is to first secure the ADC presidential ticket by confronting Atiku directly at the party’s primaries.

 

As part of these moves, Kwankwaso reportedly travelled to Abeokuta last week for a private meeting with Obasanjo, where the former president urged him to join the ADC and accept the vice-presidential slot alongside Obi. The intervention is said to mirror earlier counsel Kwankwaso received from former military president General Ibrahim Babangida, who had advised him to align with the ADC, though without explicitly raising the vice-presidential option.

 

One of the sources familiar with the discussions stated that the calculations are driven by prevailing political realities, arguing that the current momentum both within Nigeria and internationally favours an Obi presidency.

 

Obasanjo is described as a central figure promoting Obi’s ambition, a role he has played before, having previously recommended Obi to Atiku as a vice-presidential candidate during the 2019 election cycle.

 

According to the source, the central objective is to compel Obi and Kwankwaso to pool their political structures and influence in order to mount a credible challenge against Atiku for the ADC ticket. The insiders acknowledge that Atiku’s entrenched influence within party politics presents a formidable obstacle, noting that neither Obi nor Kwankwaso, acting independently, is believed to have sufficient leverage to overcome him at the primaries.

 

However, a combined effort, they argue, could significantly alter the balance.

 

Further confirmation of ongoing negotiations came from a close aide to Kwankwaso, who disclosed that “high-level discussions with key stakeholders across the political spectrum” are actively underway. The aide emphasised that while no final decision has been reached, consultations are progressing across political parties and influential individuals.

 

The aide added that the movement remains focused on addressing what it described as Nigeria’s urgent need for a decisive break from an era marked by worsening insecurity and the collapse of essential systems, urging the public to remain patient as positions are clarified and made public in due course.

 

The comments were made in response to enquiries about a reported meeting involving Kwankwaso, Obasanjo, and Obi. While the former Kano governor neither confirmed nor denied that such a meeting took place, sources insist that at least two strategic pathways are currently being explored to ensure that an Obi–Kwankwaso ticket features prominently in the 2027 presidential race.

 

As opposition manoeuvring accelerates, the unfolding talks signal what could become one of the most consequential political realignments ahead of Nigeria’s next general election, with Obasanjo once again playing the role of power broker behind the scenes.


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