The Kwankwassiyya movement, led by former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, and the Obidient movement, which supports former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, are joining forces ahead of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) primary election. This is putting a lot of pressure on Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria, to give up his plan to run for president in 2027.
It was said that Dele Momodu and Atiku’s camp are working hard to get an Atiku/Obi ticket. However, other party members want Obi and Kwankwaso to fly the ADC flag in the election that everyone is looking forward to.
Some people in the party think that the ADC can’t win the election without Obi as the presidential candidate. Others think that Atiku is more experienced and will get more votes from the North.
According to reports, former President Olusegun Obasanjo is behind the push for the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket. He is also calling for a united opposition against President Bola Tinubu.
People who know a lot about politics say that the new push for the Obi/Kwankwaso ticket was meant to weaken Atiku’s hold on the opposition and stop the 2023 election from being as divided as it was.
Tell Atiku to step down
Over the weekend, it was learned that ADC members from both the North and South of the country are putting pressure on Atiku to step down for the younger generation.
Some bigwigs in the party are said to be reaching out to the former VP in secret, while others have made their views known publicly.
Victor Umeh, a senator from Anambra Central, said in an interview on national TV that Atiku should step aside for younger candidates. He said that the former VP is a respected figure in Nigerian politics and has been running for president since 2003.
Jimi Disu, a well-known media analyst, content provider, and blogger, also said that President Tinubu will still win the election if ADC runs Atiku.
He says that if Atiku agrees to step down for a younger person, people will see him as a hero.
“If Atiku steps down, he will be a hero. It doesn’t have to be him.” He said, “I can already guess what will happen if Atiku and Tinubu run against each other in 2027.”
Atiku’s point of view
Atiku, the PDP’s candidate for president in 2023, has said that none of the other candidates in the ADC can match his electoral strength, especially in the Northern Region.
The former vice president said that Kwankwaso is no longer in charge of Kano and that the state is now divided between Kwankwaso and Governor Abba Yusuf.
But Atiku publicly promised to back any consensus candidate who wins fairly, saying, “Yes, I will step aside for any winner.”
When asked if Obi was one of those people, he said, “Of course, if he is a contender, why not?”
Kwankwassiyya and Obidient groups are coming together to fight Atiku before the primary.
The newly formed Obi–Kwankwaso (OK) Movement is made up of people who support Obi and Kwankwaso. They are working together to make sure that no other candidate gets the party’s presidential ticket.
In an exclusive interview, Habibu Mohammad, the spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, said he was hopeful that Obi and Kwankwaso would be the ADC’s presidential and vice presidential candidates.
He said, “We’re working together and talking to make sure we reach a common goal.”
“I can tell you that the alignment is changing. My principal is willing to do anything that is legal to get Tinubu out of office. He is willing to take on any task.
“My principal, Kwankwaso, has agreed to let Obi take over for him. He is willing to do anything that will help ADC get rid of President Tinubu.
“The primary election won’t have delegates like it did before, which is why the Kwankwassiyya Movement and the Obidient Movement are coming together. We are working together to give a good outing to those who want to use dollars.
“Instead of going it alone, we are now working together. We won’t give in to any primary that isn’t real.
“We are praying and hoping that Atiku will be a father to us all so that we can keep giving him the respect he deserves.”
Atiku, Obi, and Kwankwaso supporters disagree on who to vote for as president.
It has been said that the fight for the ADC presidential ticket has caused a split between Atiku’s supporters and those who want Obi and Kwankwaso.
There are people who support Peter Obi and Kwankwaso’s joint ticket on one side and people who support Atiku Abubakar on the other.
AbdulAziz Na’ibi Abubakar, one of Atiku’s biggest online supporters, said in a recent post on X that there would be a nationwide protest if Atiku stepped down for any other candidate.
“If Atiku decides to step down for another candidate before 2027, there will be protests all over the country.”
He said, “Nigerians will not settle for missing another chance to see good government and real democracy.”
The post got a lot of negative attention, especially from Obi-Kwankwaso supporters who disagreed with AbdulAziz and said that ADC can only win if Obi is on the ballot.
The Arewa Source posted on X to support AbdulAziz’s position, saying, “Peter Obi supporters are his biggest enemies.”
“The North will not accept any ticket that has Peter Obi on it. If you insult Atiku Abubakar, you are insulting all of Northern Nigeria.
Austin Okai, a leader in the ADC, called on supporters of Atiku and Obi to stop the back-and-forth between their camps in response to the media war.
Okai said that the rising rhetoric could make political tensions even worse before the next election.
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