ADC: Kwankwaso, Obi rally northern leaders against Atiku

The political maneuvering within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the broader Nigerian political scene, as reported by Sunday PUNCH, highlights a complex strategy involving Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso. Their reported pursuit of a joint presidential ticket, centered on a 'one-term' power rotation deal for the North, is a calculated move to consolidate support and challenge established figures like Atiku Abubakar.

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What we’re canvassing is fairness; the South should be allowed to complete its eight years. The North completed its eight years before Tinubu took over power.

From a Nigerian perspective, the emphasis on fairness and allowing the South to complete its eight years in power is a recurring theme in our political discourse. The argument that the North has had its turn and that the South deserves its due, especially with Obi's promise of a single term, aims to appeal to a sense of equity. This narrative seeks to persuade key northern stakeholders that supporting Obi would be a more beneficial long-term political calculation for the region than backing Abubakar again.

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While we have seen that Tinubu’s administration is a disaster, that should not rob the entire South of its deserved eight years.

The formation of the Obi–Kwankwaso Movement underscores the seriousness of their alliance. While the ADC faces its own internal leadership disputes and awaits a Supreme Court judgment, these presidential aspirants are actively mobilizing. Their efforts to sway northern leaders away from Atiku Abubakar, by framing the current Tinubu administration as a 'disaster' but arguing that the South should still complete its term, present a nuanced political argument. This strategy attempts to leverage existing political sentiments while forging a new path forward, positioning Obi as a candidate who can unite different political factions and regional interests under a shared vision of a single-term southern presidency.

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What we need is to elect another southerner as the next president in 2027, and that is why we are canvassing for Obi, who, luckily, has promised a one term.