The Vice-Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has explained why he wants former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar—the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—to step down for NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general election.
Kwankwaso cited their longstanding political relationship and the urgent need to pave the way for a new political arrangement as the primary reasons for his appeal.
Kwankwaso made the clarification while appearing on Channels Television’s *Politics Today* on Thursday. During the interview, he recounted decades of political dealings with Atiku, detailed his reasons for aligning with Obi, and outlined the NDC’s stance on fuel prices and subsidies.
Asked directly whether he was insisting that Atiku abandon his presidential ambition this cycle, Kwankwaso answered in the affirmative.
“Well, yes,” he said.
The former Kano State governor disclosed that he recently used a visit by a delegation of Fulani leaders from across the country as an opportunity to urge them to appeal to Atiku to step aside.
“Coincidentally, a group of Fulanis from across the country came for a courtesy visit to my house. I thought it was an opportunity for me to talk to them and ask that they create time, before returning to their towns and villages, to speak with him,” Kwankwaso explained.
He stressed that his call was devoid of personal animosity toward Atiku, whom he has known and worked with for decades.
“His Excellency Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is somebody that I know fairly well. We have done so much together in the past—in fact, more than anybody who is around him today,” he maintained.
### How Kwankwaso and Atiku worked together from 1993
To illustrate the depth of their political history, Kwankwaso traced their alliance back to 1993, when both figures were prominent in the political movement led by the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.
“I remember in 1993, he was in our group under the leadership of General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and he was our choice for the presidential ticket of the SDP,” Kwankwaso recalled.
“We supported him and did everything possible to make him our SDP candidate. When that didn’t work out, we still tried under General Yar’Adua to ensure he secured the vice-presidential ticket.”
Though that initial effort fell short, Kwankwaso noted that their political ties persisted into the 1999 transition to civil rule, which culminated in Olusegun Obasanjo emerging as the presidential flagbearer.
“We thank Almighty God we were still alive in 1999. I was the Governor-Elect of Kano when we elected His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo in Jos—the same Jos we went to in 1993,” he said.
Kwankwaso noted that he remained close to Atiku during the period when the former served as Obasanjo’s running mate and eventual vice-president.
“At the end of the day, Obasanjo won. Because I was very close to him, and serving as Governor-Elect while he was Vice-President, we were very happy with the outcome.”
He also referenced Atiku’s political maneuvering in 2003 and the substantial backing he received from Kano State during the 2007 presidential election.
“In 2003, he played a significant role. That is a very long story, and perhaps one of these days we will have the opportunity to discuss it. Similarly, in 2007, almost 90% of the votes from Kano were given to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,” Kwankwaso stated.
He acknowledged that they did not always belong to the same political platforms, noting that Atiku ran under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2007, while he belonged to a different fold.
“In 2007, I think he was in the ACN. Of course, I was not in the ACN,” he pointed out.
Kwankwaso added that their paths crossed again politically in 2011, culminating in their joint run as presidential aspirants in the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 general election won by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“In 2011, we worked together. In 2015, as you know, we were all aspirants in the APC: Buhari was number one, I was number two, and he was number three. You can go on and on,” he said.
Reiterating his final stance, Kwankwaso insisted his appeal should be viewed constructively rather than as a personal attack.
“What I am trying to say is that we are not against him. Both sides have worked together with him in the past, but everything has its time,” he concluded.
