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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

2027: Kwankwaso Will Be Partner as VP, Not Spare Tyre – Peter Obi

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Nigerian politician Peter Obi has pledged to make Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso his vice president in the 2027 general elections, emphasizing a partnership rather than a subordinate role.
  • Obi, nominated as the NDC presidential candidate, outlined his vision for a "New Nigeria" focused on unity, security, economic reform, and accountable governance, acknowledging the nation's current challenges.
  • He highlighted Nigeria's worsening security situation, noting its ranking in global terrorism impact assessments, and contrasted it with the country's past contributions to international peacekeeping efforts.

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for Nigeria's Democratic Congress (NDC), has announced that Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso will serve as his vice president if they win the 2027 general elections. Obi stressed that Kwankwaso would be a partner, not a mere figurehead, in their administration. This announcement came in Obi's acceptance speech after his nomination as the NDC presidential candidate, which he shared on his X account.

Obi and Kwankwaso, who previously ran against each other in the last presidential election, finishing third and fourth respectively behind Atiku Abubakar and the current President Bola Tinubu, have now joined forces. Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, ran under the New Nigeria Peoples Party and maintained strong influence in his home state.

In terms of security, the situation in Nigeria has considerably worsened. The global terrorism impact assessments ranked Nigeria as the 8th most affected nation in 2022, 6th in 2024, and 4th in 2026.

— Peter ObiDescribing the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria during his acceptance speech.

Accepting his nomination, Obi described his candidacy as a "call to national service" and promised to pursue a "New Nigeria" built on unity, security, economic reform, and accountable governance. He thanked party leaders and supporters, acknowledging that Nigeria is at a "crucial juncture, enveloped in uncertainty" due to rising insecurity, economic hardship, and declining public trust.

Addressing national unity, Obi warned against ethnic, religious, and regional divisions, asserting that Nigeria's diversity should be a source of strength. He also pointed to the worsening security situation, noting that Nigeria was ranked the 8th most affected nation by global terrorism impact assessments in 2022, rising to 6th in 2024 and 4th in 2026. This contrasts sharply with Nigeria's historical role as a significant contributor to international peacekeeping and regional stabilization efforts, where its troops have been recognized for professionalism and bravery.

Nigeria was at a 'crucial juncture, enveloped in uncertainty.'

— Peter ObiCharacterizing the current state of Nigeria in his acceptance speech.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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