The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, of advancing President Bola Tinubu’s political interests ahead of the 2027 presidential election, alleging that his recent comments against former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar are aimed at creating division within the opposition.
The council made the allegation while reacting to Kwankwaso’s call on Atiku, the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election, to step down for Peter Obi, who is also seeking the presidency under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
In a statement on Friday, the council’s Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, described Kwankwaso’s position as reckless and self-serving, arguing that the former governor was more interested in undermining opposition leaders than challenging the administration of President Tinubu.
Kwankwaso, the NDC’s vice-presidential candidate, reportedly made the call during an interview on Channels Television, prompting criticism from the ADC campaign council, which accused him of pursuing personal political interests at the expense of efforts to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ologbondiyan maintained that Atiku could defeat his political opponents in Kano State, Kwankwaso’s home state, even without the former governor’s support.
He argued that the prevailing economic hardship, hunger, poverty and insecurity across the country would play a significant role in determining how Nigerians vote in the 2027 general election.
The ADC campaign council questioned why Kwankwaso, who is politically aligned with Obi through the NDC, would focus on persuading Atiku to withdraw rather than supporting efforts to build a stronger opposition alliance capable of defeating the APC.
“Rather than campaigning against President Tinubu, whose administration Nigerians are eagerly working to vote out, Kwankwaso is fixated on Atiku Abubakar, the ADC candidate, whom millions of Nigerians believe can restore economic stability and make life affordable again,” Ologbondiyan said.
The council also accused Kwankwaso of looking beyond the 2027 election and positioning himself for a possible presidential bid in 2031.
According to Ologbondiyan, Kwankwaso’s reported description of the office of the Vice-President as a “spare tyre” raised questions about his commitment to the immediate political and economic challenges facing Nigerians.
“Having reportedly described the office of the Vice President as a ‘spare tyre’, he appears more concerned about positioning himself for the 2031 presidential election rather than addressing the urgent challenges confronting Nigerians today,” he said.
The council alleged that Kwankwaso’s latest intervention could benefit the ruling APC by weakening opposition unity and creating disagreements among political figures seeking to unseat Tinubu in 2027.
It argued that opposition leaders should concentrate on addressing Nigerians’ concerns and building a formidable political coalition rather than engaging in public disagreements over which candidate should withdraw from the presidential race.
Ologbondiyan further challenged the suggestion that Kwankwaso’s political influence was indispensable to winning Kano State, citing the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections, when former President Muhammadu Buhari secured victories in the state despite not having Kwankwaso’s support.
He argued that the historical outcomes demonstrated that Atiku could also secure victory in Kano in 2027 without relying on the former governor’s political machinery.
“What Kwankwaso is doing amounts to advancing President Tinubu’s interests. It is a familiar APC strategy to use willing collaborators within the opposition to create confusion, sow division and weaken the collective efforts to bring about political change.
“Nigerians are wiser than that and will not allow themselves to be distracted by political manoeuvres designed to rescue an unpopular administration,” Ologbondiyan said.
The ADC campaign council also accused Kwankwaso of placing personal ambition above the collective interests of opposition parties, alleging that his intervention was intended to strengthen his bargaining position ahead of future political negotiations.
The dispute highlights growing disagreements among opposition figures over the strategy for the 2027 presidential election, particularly whether opposition parties should rally behind a single candidate or allow their respective candidates to contest independently.
While the ADC is presenting Atiku as its presidential candidate, Kwankwaso is aligned with the NDC ticket alongside Obi, setting the stage for potential competition between opposition political interests ahead of the election.
The ADC campaign council maintained that Kwankwaso’s call for Atiku to step down would not prevent the former vice-president from pursuing his presidential ambition, insisting that voters would ultimately determine the outcome of the 2027 election based on their assessment of the candidates and the performance of the current administration.