2027: Kwankwaso, Aregbesola hold closed-door meeting in Lagos

The national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, on Saturday, held a closed-door meeting with the former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, in Lagos State.

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Mr Kwankwaso posted pictures of the meeting on his X page and provided brief details.

“The meeting afforded us the opportunity to engage in discussions on national politics, governance and the future of Nigeria’s democratic landscape,” he wrote.

Mr Aregbesola was the Osun State governor between 2010 and 2018. A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he recently pulled out his group, Omoluabi Progressives, from the party after citing irreconcilable differences over alleged ostracisation, expulsion of the group’s leaders without fair hearing, and failure to restructure the APC in Osun.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Mr Aregbesola was a close ally of President Bola Tinubu and served as commissioner of works when Mr Tinubu was Lagos governor (1999-2007). However, both men have fallen out politically.

Mr Aregbesola’s exit from APC triggered overtures from the NNPP and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), both of whom have called on Aregbesola and his supporters to join them ahead of the 2026 governorship poll in the state.

This evening, I had the pleasure to visit the former Governor of Osun State and former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at his residence in Lagos.

The meeting afforded us the opportunity to engage in discussions on national politics, governance, and the future of… pic.twitter.com/fjLZkN1IBh

— Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (@KwankwasoRM) February 8, 2025

When contacted, the state chairman of NNPP in Osun, Tosin Odeyemi, confirmed the meeting between the former governor and Kwankwaso in Lagos State.

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“The meeting, which took place at Aregbesola’s residence in Lagos, reflected a shared commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and fostering national development,” he said.

“The only third force in Nigeria’s political landscape presently is NNPP and the party leadership will leave no stone unturned in making Nigeria great again,” he said.

Mr Kwankwaso came a distant fourth in the 2023 presidential election and is believed to still nurse a presidential ambition.