Habibu Saleh, the spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya Movement, said that Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a former presidential candidate, is willing to take on any role, even a possible vice-presidential role, to make sure that President Bola Tinubu loses the 2027 election.
In an interview with the Daily Post, Saleh said this while talking about the ongoing coalition talks and comments made by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar about Kwankwaso’s political importance.
Kwankwaso’s main goal, according to Saleh, is not personal ambition but to get rid of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tinubu so that democracy can survive and the country can be saved.
He said, “My principal has made it very clear to us all that we are joining this coalition simply to ensure that we contribute in any way possible to remove this present government of APC and Bola Ahmed Tinubu from power, so that democracy can survive and the nation can be saved.
“He has been making deals, getting people together, and doing everything else he can to make sure the party wins its fight. He is willing to give up what he needs to reach that goal.
“Whether he is going to be vice president or do something else, I think that will help the coalition and the ADC succeed.”
My boss will take it if he thinks the deal will lead to victory and help the party succeed. Success for Nigerians and for democracy is what matters most.
Saleh went on to say that Atiku’s claim that Kwankwaso only controls Kano votes was an understatement.
He said that Kwankwaso got a lot of votes outside of Kano in the 2023 election, even though he was running on a weak platform.
He said, “It is a serious understatement for anyone to say that my principal’s importance is only in Kano.” The numbers from the last election clearly show that this is not the case.
“He got about 906,000 votes from Kano, but he also got about 500,000 votes from other parts of the country. And don’t forget that he ran for office with a party that wasn’t very well known.
“He didn’t have the backing of any sitting official, not even a governor, a member of the House of Representatives, or a councilor.” He also didn’t have support from the elite or a strong party structure.
Seleh said that comparing Kwankwaso’s performance to Atiku’s earlier presidential campaign shows that his principal has real support from the people.
He said, “If a candidate can win his own state under these conditions, it shows that he really connects with the people and has strong political credibility.”
“When Atiku ran for Vice President while he was still in office, with the support of the government at the time, he got about two million votes, which was about six percent.”
Kwankwaso, who was running for the first time without holding a major office, also got about six percent. That gives you a better idea of what to think about it.
Saleh said that a joint ticket between Atiku and Kwankwaso, who are both from Northern Nigeria, is not realistic.
He said, “I don’t think that’s possible.” We need to be careful enough to show a ticket that shows a balance between the North and the South.
“A ticket for people from the same region or religion will only split the country and hurt democracy.” Nigerians want fairness and to be included.
He said that this is why a lot of Nigerians are interested in a Kwankwaso-Peter Obi ticket.
He said, “That kind of ticket is easy to sell.” It can help people in Nigeria get over their distrust and come together.
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