Indications have emerged that a joint presidential ticket involving former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is being considered ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the duo expected to challenge former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the presidential ticket of the coalition-led African Democratic Congress (ADC), amid renewed efforts to unite the opposition.
Obi and Kwankwaso, who were the presidential candidates of the Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) respectively in the 2023 elections, had previously attempted to form an alliance ahead of that poll. However, the talks collapsed over disagreements on who would emerge as the presidential candidate and who would serve as running mate.
The renewed push for a joint ticket is coming against the backdrop of the 2023 elections, where both candidates recorded strong but regionally concentrated performances. Obi polled over six million votes nationwide, winning the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and all five South-East states, while also galvanising a largely youth-driven movement across major urban centres to finish third.
Kwankwaso, on his part, secured a landslide victory in Kano State, reaffirming his dominance of one of Nigeria’s largest voting blocs through the Kwankwasiyya political movement, to place fourth overall.
Daily Trust gathered at the weekend that fresh reconciliation efforts between both camps are being spearheaded by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is reportedly convinced that a united Obi–Kwankwaso ticket would offer the opposition a stronger chance of mounting a credible challenge to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
Political analyst, Kari, said if the ADC conducts open and competitive primaries involving Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso and even figures such as former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, it would represent a major propaganda boost for the party.
“If the ADC conducts open primaries with all these heavyweights, it would contrast sharply with the APC, where the ticket has virtually been handed to the sitting president,” he said.
However, Kari warned that the opposition could be “shooting itself in the foot” if Atiku emerged as the ADC candidate and Obi and Kwankwaso subsequently exited the party to pursue their ambitions on another platform.
“If Atiku is on the ballot, he will most likely be the only northern Muslim candidate. Given Nigeria’s voting patterns, many northern Muslim voters may gravitate towards him rather than an Obi–Kwankwaso ticket or even Tinubu–Shettima. This would further fragment opposition votes,” he said.
According to him, the most favourable scenario for an Obi–Kwankwaso ticket would be one in which Atiku opts out of the race.
Also speaking, Dr Sam Amadi of the Abuja School of Political and Social Thought said the Obi–Kwankwaso ticket had been widely favoured since 2023, largely due to Kwankwaso’s dominance in Kano State, one of Nigeria’s largest electoral strongholds.
Amadi noted that the ticket’s overall national competitiveness would, however, depend on the ability to secure broader alliances across the North.
“If such a ticket also enjoys the backing of influential northern figures like Nasir El-Rufai, Atiku or other political heavyweights from the North-Central, North-East and North-West, then it becomes a very strong ticket capable of posing a serious threat to President Tinubu in 2027,” he said.
