Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has dismissed suggestions that President Bola Tinubu’s chances of winning the 2027 presidential election are strengthened by the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlling more than 30 states.
Kwankwaso made the remarks on Thursday during a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he and NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi responded to questions on the party’s prospects ahead of the 2027 general election.
The former Kano State governor pointed to the 2015 presidential election, when then-President Goodluck Jonathan lost his bid for a second term despite being the incumbent and despite the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controlling about 20 states at the time.
“Jonathan was the sitting president, and he lost the election. Those who think that because they have over 30 governors, they cannot lose are making a very big mistake,” Kwankwaso said.
He argued that the number of governors controlled by a political party does not automatically translate into victory at the presidential level, stressing that the performance of the governors and their parties would ultimately influence voters.
Kwankwaso was particularly critical of the performance of some governors, alleging that many had failed to deliver meaningful development to their people.
“The trend is that those governors and their parties have performed woefully. It is difficult for many of them to even come out and campaign because, from top to bottom, they did absolutely nothing,” he said.
The NDC vice-presidential candidate also warned Nigerians against making what he described as another costly political mistake in 2027.
According to him, the country needs a “committed, strong and vibrant president” with the experience and determination to address its challenges.
“This is the time to get it right,” Kwankwaso said, warning that Nigerians could regret making the wrong political choice in the next election.
Tinubu, who defeated Peter Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election, is seeking re-election on the APC platform in 2027. The APC currently controls about 31 states.
The remarks by Kwankwaso come as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 election, with the ruling APC and opposition parties increasingly positioning themselves for what is expected to be a closely watched presidential contest.
