The former Governor of Kano State, influential northern politician, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has said he feels he has the virtual ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), adding that the breakthrough could eventually give Kano State the chance to produce the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Kwankwaso’s comments are happening as there appears to be a strong push for succession politics, early realignments and power struggle in Northern Nigeria ahead of the next general elections.
The former governor, who is speaking in positive terms, had hoped that the upcoming election cycle will go a long way to change the political landscape in Nigeria should he be included on the party’s presidential ballot.
“Hopefully the next election will be different than anything that’s ever happened in our state and country,” he said, “by God’s grace if I get the ticket and my name’s on the ballot.”
While Kwankwaso did not specify what is ongoing within the NDC, political watchers see the communication as a solid indication of his resolve to play a major role in the new coalitions and opposition calculus ahead of the 2027 elections.
His remarks are likely to fuel political intrigue in the state of Kano, which has historically been a key voter state in Nigeria’s presidential elections, as control of its political structure has been a deciding factor.
The decision by the former governor to seek the vice-presidential berth may be one of the larger picture plans that would have the former Governor Kano firmly in the opposition fold, better prepared for the future presidential race, say analysts.
The declaration comes at a time when political actors are stepping up consultation, coalition and strategic talks on both sides, as the campaign for the next electoral cycle starts slowly to ramp up.
Many see Kwankwaso’s latest remarks not as an expression of a vice-presidential ambition, but as early signs of a larger political game that may change alliances, alter regional perceptions, and impact on the power dynamic in Nigeria leading up to the next presidential race.
