As Nigeria’s opposition weighs alliances ahead of the 2027 presidential election, Abdullahi Ganduje,former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has sought to puncture growing speculation over a possible Peter Obi-Rabiu Kwankwaso presidential ticket, declaring the proposed alliance ‘dead on arrival’ in Kano State and arguing that neither politician has the governance record or political strength to unseat the ruling party.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, the former Kano State governor said the ticket would struggle to gain support in Kano, one of Nigeria’s most politically significant states, insisting that both Obi and Kwankwaso lacked the leadership credentials needed to convince voters they could effectively govern the country.
‘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,’ Ganduje said.
He questioned Obi’s performance during his tenure as governor of Anambra State, arguing that the former Labour Party presidential candidate failed to leave behind a legacy that would justify another bid for Nigeria’s highest office.
‘Peter Obi was a governor in the South-East geopolitical zone, a governor in Anambra State. What did he do as a governor? What legacy did he leave as a governor?’ Ganduje asked.
He also challenged Obi’s post-governorship public service record, saying there was little evidence that he had demonstrated the capacity to manage a country as complex as Nigeria.
‘And from that, what other responsibility in governance did he hold that he made a mark to the extent that we believe he will be able to manage this country effectively and efficiently?’ he said.
Turning to Kwankwaso, Ganduje argued that the former Kano State governor’s political record did not compare favourably with those of other recent governors in the state, pointing to his inability to secure 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,’ Ganduje said.
According to him, both former governor Ibrahim Shekarau and himself governed Kano for two uninterrupted terms, while Kwankwaso returned to office only after spending eight years out of power.
‘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, until after eight years, then he was able to come back,’ he said.
Ganduje further argued that Kwankwaso had not established a governance legacy capable of persuading Kano residents or Nigerians that he would be an effective vice-president.
‘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, will convince the people of Nigeria that he will be a successful vice-president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?’ he added.
‘I think that, as I earlier said, it is dead on arrival.’
Ganduje’s comments come as political consultations and coalition talks continue ahead of the 2027 general election, with opposition figures exploring possible alliances that could consolidate votes against the APC. Although neither Obi nor Kwankwaso has formally announced a joint presidential ticket under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), speculation over a potential partnership has intensified in recent weeks, reflecting the fluid nature of Nigeria’s pre-election political landscape.